


May The Truth Set You Free

by Draconis_patronum



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: BAMF Edward Elric, BAMF Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric Keeps Automail, Edward Elric Swears, F/F, F/M, Homunculus Edward Elric, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Maes Hughes Lives, Restored Alphonse Elric, Smart Edward Elric, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 09:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24847288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Draconis_patronum/pseuds/Draconis_patronum
Summary: Edward Elric had many regrets in life; Nina Tucker, Maes Hughes and the attempted human transmutation. But there were also things he didn't regret, giving up his alchemy and starting a family with Winry.So, yeah, he was doing pretty fucking amazing, thank you very much.And he certainly didn't need to accept any offer a certain no face white silhouette had to give him.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Roy Mustang, past Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell
Comments: 98
Kudos: 600





	1. Truth's a bitch...bastard?

**Author's Note:**

> You know, there's such a lack of time travel fics in this fandom. There's only one good one and I think you all know what I'm talking about.

Edward was exhausted, completely and utterly exhausted. Sometimes he regretted rejoining the military after he was done with the whole 'travel across the west to find new forms of alchemy!' spiel. All he wanted was to go and collapse in his bed-- 

"Daddy!" A flash of yellow called out and Edward suddenly found himself being thrown off balance when a certain someone knocked into him. 

Edward looked down at his son and he felt a soft smile forming on him when he saw the young boy beaming at him. "Adam!" he chuckled, picking him up. 

"Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" Adam yelled, giggling. His heart squeezed. He would never get used to that feeling, at being called 'Daddy.' 

Not too long after Adam had yelled, two familiar faces came walking down the hallway. Well, one was walking, the other was being held by the person who was _capable_ of walking. 

There was Winry, holding their other child in her hands. Nina, in honour of Nina Tucker. She was just over a year old and was starting to get walking down, but she preferred being held by her mother and father more. She was a brat, but she was _his_ brat. 

"I'm glad you're back." Winry smiled and very deliberately glared at his automail leg. 

"You better have not broken your automail; if you did, you're out of luck 'cause Paninya just invited me over to her house for a few days," she said, a hint of steel as well as fondness in her voice. 

Paninya, the girl that Winry was currently seeing. Their relationship had fallen apart a bit after they had had their second child. There was just no love in it anymore. But they had stayed good friends, the feeling was mutual apparently. And both of them had gone through a midlife crisis concerning their sexualities. With the help of Al and Granny, they had figured out that they were both, in fact, bisexual. 

It hadn't been much of a shock to either of them. Ed had always had a few non-platonic feelings toward a certain Colonel. Well, now he was a Brigadier General who was soon to be Fuhrer, but he would always be a Colonel in Ed's mind. 

"When are you leaving?" he asked. 

"Tonight. If something comes up just ask Granny to babysit," she said, as she always did, but she knew by now that she didn't have to. Edward always made time for his kids, no matter what he was doing. He wasn't Hoenheim. Family came first. 

"Have fun." He winked and delighted in the way her face pinked. 

"I - That's - " But Ed didn't give her a chance to finish as he took his kids and went into the living room. 

His exhaustion forgotten for the moment, he took something out of his bag. "I got you guys presents." 

Their faces lit up and they watched with anticipation as he reached into the bag and pulled two things out, one for each of them. For Nina, he had gotten a picture book, but not just any book, one from Xing. Xingese books always had a certain touch to them and Nina loved them. That was why Ling had sent him one; he adored the little girl. 

For Adam, he had gotten a book from the new State Alchemist library that had just been built. Adam had become increasingly infatuated with Alchemy and had been begging Edward to get him some new books. Alchemy was still a sore subject for him, but he would be damned if he didn't let his kids enjoy something because of his personal issues with it. 

Besides, he would _never_ let Adam try human transmutation. He had made it clear to Adam the second he asked about it that neither Winry nor Edward would ever want them practising something like that. 

They both gasped and launched forward to grab their presents. They both muttered a quick 'thank you' - Nina tried to, but it came out as more of a babble - and dove right into their presents. 

He chuckled, they both definitely had Elric blood flowing through them. Adam was, for lack of a better word, a prodigy, just like Edward and Alphonse. Nina was learning basic skills faster than any other child he knew - the one other child he knew, and that was his nephew, Rin - she could already say some words as well as walk and had mastered her mother's glare perfectly. 

"Remember, Adam, if you have any questions about the book, come to me. Doesn't matter what I'm doing." He reminded before leaving to go to his room. He was still tired. 

**____________________________________________________________**

"What?" Ed whispered into the phone. 

_"We think he's trying to do Human Transmutation."_ Mustang said again over the phone. 

"But... he hasn't lost anyone." Ed faltered, there were so many feelings going through him that he didn't know how to react. Anger, Confusion, and Grief. 

_"He hasn't. That's what makes the thing even more confusing and dangerous. He might be attempting to make a Homunculus."_ To anyone else, Mustang would have sounded completely neutral, cold even. But Ed knew better, he was _scared_. 

"Alright, I'll go check it out." Ed didn't even bother to say bye before hanging up the phone and putting it back onto the table. 

He took a deep breath. Winry would be home tonight and he needed to leave now. He had to leave the children with Pinako for now. It would be the first time he had to leave them. The thought made him sick but he knew he had to. 

"Kids!" he yelled, walking down to their rooms. 

It didn't take long for Adam to come out of his room, Nina following close behind him. Adam had been teaching her some new words. 

"Yes, Dad?" Adam asked. He must have recognized Ed's tone of voice because he suddenly sounded serious. 

"I have to go, but I'll be back soon, okay? You'll stay with Granny Pinako for a bit before Mom comes back and then I'll come back." He knelt down to pick Nina up. 

Adam looked confused for a moment, his dad had never sent them to Granny Pinako even though Mom had always said he could. It was probably a work thing. He nodded and went to go get some of his things, especially the new book his dad had gotten for him. 

As soon as both of them were ready, Edward grabbed both of their hands and started to walk over to Pinako's house. They had made sure to live close to each other, just like they had done in Resembool. She was easily in walking distance. 

It wasn't even ten minutes before they had arrived at her house. Ed knocked on her door and she answered almost immediately. She always did. 

"Ed." She nodded. 

"Hey, Granny, something came up and I have to go. Watch 'em for me?" He asked and, of course, Granny nodded, but she did give him a look. She knew he never left his kids. If he was going now, it had to be serious. 

He gave them both one last hug and made to leave before Granny stopped him. 

"Ed." She caught his attention. 

He looked back, "Yes?" 

She looked him dead in the eye and said in the most neutral voice, "Don't die." 

**___________________________________________________**

Fuck. 

FUCK. 

That was definitely a Human Transmutation circle. Just seeing it was enough to make him feel nauseous as all those horrible memories came flooding back to him. Why, why would someone do this. Especially when they hadn't even lost anyone. Why would someone even try to make a homunculus? 

He walked over to the circle, it looked like the floor had been carved into the circle. 

"Right on time," a voice said behind him. 

Fueled by instincts he whirled around and punched the person in the face. They stumbled back but the stupid smile was still on her face. The Toxic Alchemist, Jenny Shaw. He should've known it was her. Something had always been wrong with her. And she never left him alone. 

"I had been expecting someone, but you! Oh, this day just keeps getting better." She giggled. 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He spat out. 

She didn't answer him, she only dropped to her knees. He watched in horror as she put her hands on the circle. 

"NO!--" He yelled, but he was too late. The familiar spark of alchemy flashed and suddenly, he was being pulled away. He screwed his eyes shut and took a deep breath before opening his eyes. 

He almost passed out when he saw that the room was gone and in place of it was a white void and a familiar outline. Except this time, Shaw was next to him. The same stupid smile on her face and Ed lost it. 

"YOU BITCH--!" He reached out to punch Shaw a second time but was stopped by small black hands that were all too familiar. 

"Well, Well, Well. What do we have here?" Truth asked. 

"Give me a Homunculus," Shaw snapped and Truth's grin widened. 

"You want a Homunculus?" it asked. 

"Yes. He should be enough for the toll." 

Truth laughed, throwing its head back, "You've been here before, Shaw. You gave me your mind. Tell me, what makes you think that I would grant you a Homunculus. What makes you think that he is an efficient toll?" 

"He's a whole person. I only gave you my mind but he--" She was cut off by the black hands. They wrapped around her mouth and neck. She started to struggle, but Truth didn't care. Instead, it turned to him. 

"My perfect human," it greeted him and Ed instantly recoiled. 

"Let me out. I don't want to be here." 

Truth laughed in his face, "Don't you?" 

Ed opened his mouth but was cut off, "I accept your toll, Edward Elric." The grin grew impossibly wider and Ed paled. 

_"Wha--"_ But he didn't have time to finish his question. The gate behind truth opened and hands shot out of it, grabbing onto him and dragging him into the gate. They wrapped themselves around his mouth and neck, cutting off his oxygen. 

The last thing he saw was Truth smiling at him and Shaw fading into nothing. 

He barely had time to think when he was in the black void before his left arm started _burning_ , the pain was almost as bad as when he had lost it. He pulled his sleeve up to find something forming on his forearm but he only caught a glance of it when he was once again thrown into a white void. 

But then. Then he heard it. A familiar scream. A familiar plea. 

_"Take my leg. Take my arm. Take my heart, anything! You can have it! Just give him back! He's my little brother he's all I have left!"_

He didn't think. He ran through the endless white void towards the sound of the scream and came face to face with something that made him stop dead in his tracks. 

"...Alphonse?" He breathed. But no, it wasn't Alphonse. It was a _younger_ version of Alphonse, and that scream... 

Suddenly, Al started dematerializing as he looked at his hands in horror. 

Ed dashed forward and pushed him through the open gate. Al looked back at him in horror but also the slightest hint of confusion as he disappeared into the black void. Once Al was through, it didn't take long for him to follow as the black hands once again pushed him through. 

And then, all Edward knew, was darkness. 

**___________________________________________**

He jolted awake and immediately took notice of three things. 

1: He was in an unknown but vaguely familiar place. 

2: His arm hurt like _hell_. 

3: Two people were crying. 

Wait- no - _children_. 

Was it Adam and Nina-- 

No. 

He slowly got up, making sure not to put too much pressure on the arm that felt like it had been put through a very unfortunate incident with Hawkeye and a gun. 

He looked around and spotted the source of the crying. In the corner of the room was what looked like a younger version of himself and Al. But he was holding a … sword? With only one arm and Al was trying to press himself into the wall while also trying to keep close to his brother. 

They both looked scared but Al was showing it freely while Ed was trying to mask it with anger. 

"W-What are you?" The younger Edward's voice shook but Ed couldn't tell if it was from the blood loss or the fear. 

Holy shit the blood loss. 

The younger Edward's arm was absolutely _gushing_ blood. He had to stop it. Right now. 

He didn't pay any mind to the question and instead walked over to where the boys were huddled in the corner. As soon as he came too close, the younger Edward tried to stab him with the sword, but it didn't take a lot of effort to dodge it. He caught it with one hand and threw it to the ground. 

"Don't come any closer!" Young Ed yelled. 

Edward sighed and put his hands up in the universal symbol for peace before pointing at Young Ed's arm. 

"I...I think he wants to help, brother." Al said in that same small voice he always used around strangers and _damn_ that hurt him. Apparently Edward was now demoted to the rank of stranger. 

"Help! He can help by telling us what the hell--!" But Young Ed's tangent was cut off as Edward clapped his hands and put them onto his arm. 

The arm started to scab over and Young Ed tried to pull away but he couldn't move that well with only one leg. He was clearly using the wall to keep himself steady. He didn't waste any time before doing the same to the leg that had already been crudely bandaged. Which was doing shit at keeping the blood at bay. 

Young Ed looked at him with glossy eyes before promptly falling over. Most likely from the blood loss. 

"Brother! What did you do?!" Al yelled at him. 

Ed raised an eyebrow at him and gestured towards all the blood. 

Al glanced at it and the small remnant of colour faded from his face before he passed out as well. Ed quickly made to catch him and then lifted Young Ed up. Fuck, he would have to come up with a better name for the boy. He couldn't call him Edward because that would get annoying really fucking quick. 

He would think about it later, but right now, he had to get them to Pinako. 

He swung both boys over either shoulder and ran out of the room. They weren't light but they weren't heavy, for him at least. 

It didn't take long to reach Granny's house and he started to kick the door because he sure as hell couldn't knock without dropping one of the boy's. 

Granny swung the door open, wrench in hand and ready to strike when she noticed the two boys and gasped before dropping her wrench in shock. 

"What the _hell_ happened to them? Did you do this?" She said the last part with more venom than he had ever heard from her. 

Edward's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head before very pointedly looking at the boys. He didn't want to talk right now. He didn't know what the hell was going on and he was pretty sure he was going into shock, the only thing that was preventing it was the adrenaline and he had to make sure the boys were safe before he could even think of going into shock. 

Pinako didn't hesitate. As soon as Ed set the boys down, she took them and looked over her shoulder, "Winry!" She called. 

Ed barely managed to keep his jaw from falling open at seeing the younger version of Winry. Fucking Truth. Had he really travelled back in time? That had to be the only explanation. Unless this was some other world with a striking amount of similarities which would just make it fucking weird as well as horrifying. 

Winry rushed over, her jaw-dropping open at seeing the Younger Ed. She only hesitated for a moment before bolting to grab him and take him to what he assumed was where they would do the surgery to save his life. 

He hadn't exactly been awake for that part. He wondered if this was how Al felt when he had to take him to Pinako in the … first timeline? Fuck, was there more than one timeline now? 

Speaking of Al, Pinako had taken him and ran down the same hallway that Winry had gone to. He didn't know what was going to happen but he could only assume that she would look for injuries and if she found none then she would go to help Winry. 

He hoped she would find none. 

It was then that the adrenaline decided to go fuck itself and the pain returned in full force. He pulled his left sleeve up and baulked when he saw what was there. _It_ was there. Right on his forearm. Like he had seen so many times before. 

An Ouroboros tattoo. 

**_________________________________________**

An Ouroboros tattoo. The same tattoo that had been on all the … Oh god. 

He thought back to what had happened only moments before. With Jenny Shaw. Truth had said that it was going to make a Homunculus. It had never said that the Homunculus would belong to someone and it had never said that it was going to kill Edward. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck. 

He was a Homunculus. 

He knew he shouldn't be doing this but he couldn't give less of a fuck right now. He reached down to get his hidden knife out of his boot and very quickly stabbed himself through the hand. 

"Fuck!" He swore softly. Okay, pain. That was a good sign. 

And then there was the dreadful red crackle and the pain was gone. Just like that. And there was no more wound. It was like it had never been there in the first place. The skin wasn't even _sensitive_. 

If the Ouroboros hadn't confirmed it. This had. He was a Homunculus. But, it didn't make sense. He didn't have a Philosophers stone, he shouldn't be able to be alive. Something occurred to him then. He had done Alkahestry. He had done a form of Alchemy. 

His Alchemy was back. 

Okay, that was a mini win. At least he had been able to stop Young Ed from bleeding out. 

But Homunculi weren't able to perform Alchemy. They shouldn't have been able to. They all had their thing. Lust with the claws, Envy with the shapeshifting, Pride with the annoying as fuck shadows, Gluttony with the weird discount Portal of Truth, Wrath with the whole 'I know you're gonna attack me' bullshit and Greed with his Ultimate Shield. 

Could his thing be...Alchemy? 

He tugged the sleeve back down and put his face in his hands and let out a string of curses. 

He was just about to go into a full freakout when pain exploded at the side of his head. He looked over to see Pinako glaring at him with her wrench in hand. What was with the Rockbells and wrenches? 

"Listen here, young man. You're going to tell me what happened to those boys or I swear I'm going to call the police right after I tear you apart limb from limb." That was no empty threat, Ed knew that much. 

He didn't have a choice. He had to speak. He forced himself to calm down and focused on not passing out. "They tried Human Transmutation," he said bluntly. 

Pinako gasped but she didn't drop her wrench. 

"Their mother?" She questioned. 

Ed nodded. 

She eyed him up and down, "Why do you look like Hoenheim?" 

Damn. That hit a sore spot. He knew he looked similar to Hoenheim but he had expected Pinako to ask why he looked like Edward, because he _was_ Edward. He tried not to wince and answered. 

"Their transmutation wasn't a complete failure," he said. It wasn't a complete lie. He was a Homunculus now, no matter how much he hated that fact. He would definitely have to look into that in the future. The result of a successful Human Transmutation was a living Homunculus. 

Oh god, he was a Homunculus. 

Pinako's eyes widened, "You..." 

"They gave their blood as soul data. I was made from it." He hated lying to Pinako but it wasn't like he could tell her he was from the future and had no idea how to get back. How would he even explain the whole artificial human part when even he didn't know what was happening? 

Pinako shook her head and gave the rooms where Young Ed and Al were a look of sympathy. Not pity - Pinako didn't do pity - but sympathy. 

"I have to go help Winry." She said before looking back at him and waving her wrench back and forth threateningly, "Don't think about doing anything. I'm only letting you stay here because you brought those boys to me and very well saved their lives." 

Ed smiled softly before nodding at her. He knew not to underestimate the Rockbell's. 

Pinako gave him one last look before leaving and Ed was left to his thoughts once again. There were so many questions running through his mind. Why was he a Homunculus? Why was he back here? What was he going to do? Would he tell Pinako the truth? There were also things that were confusing to him. Like why Al wasn't a suit of armour anymore. It wasn't like he was complaining. It just made everything more complicated. 

Ed sighed. He had a lot of thinking to do. And he was going to have to make up some very convincing bullshit stories. 

**_____________________________________**

"The boys want to see you." Pinako came back in, interrupting his train of thought. Was the surgery already done? Had that much time passed? 

Ed nodded and made his way to the room. The door was wide open but he couldn't see anyone inside. He sighed, he already knew what was going to happen. They were probably waiting next to the door, hoping to lock him in and then confront him. It was what Ed would have done. 

As soon as he stepped into the room, his theory proved to be true. Young Ed slammed the door shut with much more force than was necessary. It was meant to look intimidating but just looked awkward since he only had one arm and still had a babyface. 

"Who the hell are you? _What_ the hell are you?" Young Ed started. 

"I don't have a name. And I'm a Homunculus." He barely managed to keep from wincing. 

Young Ed's eyes widened and Al gasped. 

"But … the book said no one’s made a successful Homunculus before." Al looked at his brother, both of them white as a sheet of paper. 

"Did...Did we _make_ you?" Young Edward's voice was barely above a whisper. 

He winced before nodding. 

Young Ed took a deep breath before slinking to the floor. Al was looking at him in shock and just the tiniest bit in awe. 

"Why do you look like us?" Al asked. 

"The soul data you gave. Technically, I was made from both of your blood," Ed lied. 

"We just wanted our Mom back." Young Ed's voice was quieter. 

Edward looked at the boy in sympathy. He knew how he felt. He wondered if Young Ed still felt guilt. He sure as hell did in the last timeline. But here... Al was fine here. He wasn't even missing any organs. The only person who was hurt was Young Ed. 

"It's impossible to bring the dead back to life," he said softly and Young Ed's head snapped up. 

"Then what the hell was that thing with the organs? Was it _you?_ " He said the last part in horror. 

Ed quickly shook his head. "That was a failed Homunculus. When you gave up your arm to get Alphonse back, I was created. If you hadn't given up your arm, I wouldn't be here and neither would Alphonse," he said quickly. He had to admit, his lying skills were getting better. Those lessons with Hawkeye were paying off. 

Both boys' eyes widened but it was Ed who spoke up. "I drew the blood seal on the armour. I was-" 

"Trying to bond the soul to the armour," He finished the sentence for him, "It would have worked if I hadn't pushed him through the gate before he finished dematerializing." He shrugged. 

"That was you?" Al gasped at the same time Ed said, "How do you know his name?" 

He decided to answer Al's question first, "Yes, it was me." He turned to Young Ed, "I don't know, I just do." Not the best lie but it would work. 

Young Ed opened his mouth to say something but Al cut him off, "What's your name?" 

Ed's eyes widened. It wasn't like he could say 'Edward.' He hadn't even thought of a fake name. Then, he got an idea. He looked at the brothers and said, 

"I don't have one. You can choose one if you want." He shrugged. 

Young Ed scoffed, "How the hell do you not have a name?" 

"I've existed for about an hour," he deadpanned. 

"He has a point, brother," Al said. 

Young Ed rolled his eyes. "Fine." And he turned to the wall, dragging Al with him. Huh, so they were deciding on a name for him. 

They turned back to him, "Leonardo. Or Leo," Young Ed said and his heart did a flutter. That name was-- 

"Our Mom said if she had another kid she would name him Leo." Al said and ~~Ed--~~ _Leo_ smiled. He would always be Edward Elric. But he was fine with being Leonardo Elric. 

"Leo it is," he nodded. 

Al nodded and looked at Ed, "What now, brother?" 

Ed opened his mouth before closing it and looking at his missing limbs. And then, he did something that made Leo's heart stop. He looked at him. He expected him to have the answer. He was putting his trust in him because Leo was his last chance. 

He could tell them to join the military but he would be damned if he let them go through that again. He would never let them become dogs of the military. Not again. He felt compelled to protect them. It was like his mind was screaming at him to choose the best option for them. So that was what he did. 

Leo looked at Ed and nodded. "I have an idea, but you both need to stay here. I'll be back in an hour or so," he said. 

Ed narrowed his eyes, "You're leaving," he accused. 

Oh. 

He thought he was leaving them. Leo had forgotten about his abandonment issues. He looked back at Ed. "I'm going to your house. You can come with me if you want. But I think you should at least get a wheelchair; I'm not carrying you," he teased. 

Ed scowled before opening the door and hobbling over calling, "Granny! I need a wheelchair!" 

Leo laughed softly before at Alphonse. He looked pale and was clearly trying to be strong but it was obvious that he was scared and confused. 

"Alphonse," he said, catching the boy's attention. He looked Al dead in the eyes and said, "You are both going to be okay. You have each other." 

Al's eyes widened and he faltered for a second before nodding, a new light in his eyes that Leo recognized as determination. 

It was then that Ed returned in a wheelchair and said, "Well, are you two coming?" before leaving, not waiting for an answer. 

Ed chuckled. It was weird seeing how he acted around strangers. That's what he was now. A stranger. To all the people he knew. To all the people he cared about. To _Al._

He frowned, tilting his head back a little bit. He took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to break down in front of everyone right now. Not when Ed and Al were looking at him like he was their saviour. He would go back to his timeline and then everything would be okay. He was holding onto that. He had done the impossible before. He had beat Truth at its own game. He would do it again. 

"Hurry up!" the eleven-year-old Edward yelled. 

He shook his head. He had time to think about all this later. He glanced at the arm that held the Ouroboros tattoo before leaving. 

Ed and Al stood there waiting for him. Ed looked annoyed while Al looked sheepish. As soon as Ed saw him coming their way he took off. Al rushed to help him down the porch, making sure he didn't hurt himself while admonishing him for being so rude. Al really was a mother hen, even at such a young age and after going through something as traumatic as Human Transmutation. It was … refreshing, seeing it from a different angle. 

He stepped outside, not bothering to help Ed with the wheelchair. He knew himself. He would never let someone he didn't trust guide him when he could have Al do it. 

"What took you so long, old man?" Ed asked. 

Leo grimaced, "Technically speaking, I'm younger than you." And God did that sound wrong. 

Ed must've thought of that too because he wrinkled his nose and pouted (even though he clearly didn't mean to) and said, "You look at least 20." 

Was that supposed to be a compliment? Knowing his younger self, it wouldn't be. Well, every eleven-year-old thought anyone in their twenties was old. Even though it was supposed to be the prime of your life. 

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

Ed gave him a look, "Don't think we're not done with the questions. We only stopped cause apparently you got shit to do." 

Leo gave him a look right back, "You've got a mouth on you." 

Ed stuck out his tongue. 

"Brother!" Al chastised. 

_"Al,"_ Ed whined. 

Al narrowed his eyes, a warning look, and Ed crossed his arms - which looked incredibly awkward with only one arm - and gave him his best puppy dog eyes. But Al didn't fall for it, he had grown immune to the look given that he had grown up with the boy. 

Leo’s gaze softened looking at the boys. And the familiar heartache of missing Winry and his own brother was back. He missed his children most of all though. And _oh god_. He had told them he was going to be right back. He had left them. Just like Hoenheim. 

The thought made him sick. 

Would they know? Would they know that he was trying to go back to them? That he didn't leave willingly? Would Mustang tell them? Was Winry with them? There were so many questions and _no_ answers. 

_Damnit._

He was so lost in his own thought that he didn't even notice Ed and Al calling his name. That was probably due to the fact that he wasn't used to being called by that name anyways. He only jostled back to reality when Al poked him. 

He spun around, fueled by instincts. He got into a fighting position and-- 

And remembered that this was a ten-year-old boy. Remembered that this was _Al_. 

Al looked at him with wide eyes and asked in the most sincere and gentle voice, "Are you alright?" 

And the heartache continued to grow because that was just so much like Al. Like his Al that he had to physically fight to keep himself from crying. He hadn't cried since he had gotten Al his body back and he sure as hell wasn't going to break that streak now. Not in front of them at least. 

It actually wasn't that hard. He had always had to be strong for Al. When Hoenheim left. When Mom died. When they had attempted Human Transmutation. And when Al had lost his body. Being strong for Al was practically second nature now. Even if it meant pushing down his own feelings. 

"I'm alright. Just lost in thought," he answered. 

Al looked unconvinced but didn't look like he wanted to push. He nodded and went back to Ed's wheelchair. 

Ed looked at him, intrigued, "You can think? Does that make you human? How did we create life? Do you have your own conscience? Your own free will? What were you thinking about?" 

Leo raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll answer your questions after this, alright?" he placated him. 

Ed clearly wasn't alright with it. He opened his mouth, clearly ready to push but Al let out a soft _'Brother'_ and Ed shut up. That was Al's _'Be mindful of other people's feelings'_ voice. 

He let out a soft huff of amusement before walking up the small stairs. He slowly opened the door and winced when he saw the clear remains of the semi-successful Human Transmutation. The black mass that haunted his dreams lay there, unmoving. His breathing picked up and he quickly looked away, trying to calm himself down. 

This was why he had wanted to come alone. He had known the effect that … _thing_ would have on him. 

He heard a sob from behind him and he instantly whipped around. Both Ed and Al had their eyes screwed shut. Ed had his face in his hands, his chest heaving up and down while Al was looking at it, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. 

It felt like something was compelling him. The only thoughts that were running through his mind were, _'Make them feel okay. They have to be safe. They have to feel safe.'_

He walked over to them and kneeled down slightly. "Look at me," he commanded them both. 

Ed didn't but Leo knew he was trying to. Al wasn't even making an effort, his eyes were glued to that horrible thing. He lifted up a hand and slowly guided Al's face to his and pushed his mouth up just slightly, closing it. 

"You don't wanna catch flies. They taste horrible," he tried to joke. But it fell flat. 

He took Ed's hands into his own and pried them away from his face. Ed tried to jerk them back towards him half-heartedly but he couldn't. 

"Both of you. Look at me. That is not your mother. That is a monster. She didn't suffer a second time," he said firmly. 

"You can both stay out here if you want--" he started to say but was quickly cut off. 

_"No!"_ both brothers said in unison. 

He looked at them, eyes slightly wide. He … hadn't expected that. He knew that if it was him and Al, he would have never wanted to see that thing again. It was the reason that Granny had had to bury it and why they had burned the house down. But he would never admit that last part. Not even to Al. 

"We have to get our things out of the house," Ed said, not looking at him. But there was a fire in his eyes and that was all it took to convince him. There was another reason they wanted to do this and he had quite a few theories. 

He didn't have any right to tell them no. So he nodded and went to go get rid of the thing first. Better to get it over with anyway. He heard Ed and Al scurry behind him but they sounded far away. He was moving on autopilot, trying not to think of the thing in his hands. He could feel the bile rising in his throat and was looking at anything but it. 

Suddenly, he wished he knew the secrets of flame alchemy. It would definitely be better than carrying it out of the house with his bare hands. 

He left the house through the back door and threw the corpse onto the dirt. He walked over to it and put his hands on the ground next to it, focusing on bringing the dirt to the surface. It was a trick he had learned travelling west and had committed it to memory. It had helped Al many times with his garden. 

Not looking at the body he grabbed it and shut his eyes, throwing it into the makeshift grave. He started to grab the dirt and threw it into the grave, his eyes still shut tight. 

Once it was all in the hole he clapped and put his hands back on it, covering it the best he could. It would take a while before the grass grew back but it wasn't like there were many people that would want to dig up a grave. They would probably assume that their dog died or something. 

He took a deep breath and looked up, opening his eyes. The clouds were dark grey. It had rained today, hadn't it? It was appropriate. It fit the mood perfectly. 

Ed still had some trouble referring to himself as 'Leo'. But he would have to if he didn't want to get himself confused with the Younger Ed. 

Leonardo Elric. He chuckled softly. Al would definitely make fun of it. They had always thought the name was funny as children. They even had an inside joke. 

It was odd. He was a Homunculus and he was complaining about his _name_. He could hear Winry lecturing him about priorities. And Adam would be in the background, laughing at his Dad trying to talk his friend down while Nina would look at them in fascination, taking in the new sight and trying to figure out what it meant. Sometimes, Al would come over with his and Mei's kid and all the children would play together. 

Al still had his Alchemy so he would show them small tricks. Even though he didn't need them, he had a transmutation circle tattooed on his hand because he didn't want to answer the kids' question about why he could do it without the circle. Because he didn't want to tempt them. That was just the kind of guy he was. He took all the precautions. Would this Al be different? 

He sniffed. Had he been crying? He hadn't noticed. 

He lifted his arm to wipe the tears off. He hadn't been crying for long. He had just started. He shouldn't think about them now. It would only hurt him more. He should think about how he would see them again. 

A rain droplet fell on his forehead. He quickly glanced up before walking into the house. 

He dusted some of the dirt off of him. 

As soon as he entered the house, his eyes landed on the transmutation circle. He would have to get rid of that. It was only chalk so it wouldn't take much to get off. 

He went to get some cloth, soap and water. 

He came back with a bucket of soapy water and a lime green washcloth. He paused on his way back. Making sure to check the boys were alright. He heard their chatter a few rooms over and he relaxed. 

That was weird. Sure, he was protective of the kids. It would be weird if he wasn't given what they had been through and the tiny little fact that one of them was literally _him_ and the other was his brother. 

But there was a _compulsion._ Like he had to do it. Like he didn't have a choice. He had a few theories in mind but he wasn't able to think clearly enough to actually dwell on them. He filed the information away for later and focused on the task at hand. 

He knelt down and began to scrub the floor, checking in every now and then, making sure the boys were okay. 

Edward and Al were coming out of their room with a handful of things they wanted to take with them to Pinako's house. To his surprise, Ed took a few of Hoenheim's journals. When Leo questioned him about it though, he scowled and looked away mumbling something about research purposes with an especially sour look on his face. Al hadn't taken much, but the few things he did take were all related to their mother somehow because, “This was Mother's favourite!” 

That was when someone broke the door down. 

In an instant, he ran over to the boys and placed himself in front of them to shield them from the oncoming danger. He clapped his hands together quickly and transmuted a little bit of the bucket into a makeshift knife. All in less than a minute. 

That was when he saw Mustang and Hawkeye standing in the doorway. 

Mustang had a look of anger on his face. No, that wasn't it. It was rage. He barely ever saw it on his face. 

He didn't say anything; he just looked at the remains of the Human Transmutation circle on the floor and stalked forward, Hawkeye close behind him. 

"Human Transmutation. Just as I expected." Mustang said, his voice cold. Leo could feel the boys tense up behind him. 

His voice startled Leo. He had very rarely heard Mustang sound like that, and it had never been directed towards him. Mustang seemed to take advantage of his surprise and the fact that he had dropped his guard at the sight of a familiar face. 

Mustang grabbed a handful of Leo's shirt and pulled him closer, glaring at him, "Do you have any idea what you've done?!" 

Leo was floored. Sure, Mustang had been mad when they had met each other for the first time, but he had never acted like _this_. 

"Stop!" Ed yelled from behind him and Leo glanced behind him to see the boy trying to get out from behind him but it really wasn't working. He couldn't move well in the wheelchair without Al's help. And Al was currently frozen in fear except for his hands, which were trembling. He was holding onto Leo's leg. 

Mustang was startled and his grip loosened, giving Leo the chance to get out of his grip. He kept the knife in his hand but put his hands in front of both boys, still shielding them with himself. 

"It was us! We did it! He's helping us!" Ed defended, putting a hand on Leo's leg and holding on tight. Either for balance or to keep him from leaving. 

Mustang looked at him and then looked at the boys. He stared right into Leo's eyes for a long moment before turning to Hawkeye, her face as stoic as ever. But he saw the small pinch of her eyebrows. She was confused. 

" _You_ attempted Human Transmutation?" The scepticism was clear in Mustang's voice. 

Then came the unrestrained horror as he looked back at Leo. "Did it _work?_ " he asked, clearly referring to him. 

Ed faltered for a second before speaking. "No," he answered, voice small, one that actually resembled that of an eleven-year-old. 

Mustang's expression went blank but Leo didn't miss the small sigh of relief. He couldn't exactly blame the Colonel for it either. He wouldn't know what to do with a successful Human Transmutation either. It wasn't like there was a damn protocol to these things. _'Are we supposed to retract the Death Certificate?'_

"Who are you?" The Colonel asked, voice sharp. 

"E--" He cut himself off. He couldn't say he was Edward Elric. He had almost forgotten his fake name. "Leonardo Elric," he said. 

Mustang looked at the boys behind him, clearly expecting an answer from them as well. When neither of them said anything, Leo answered for them, "This is Edward Elric." He motioned to the boy on his right and fuck that felt weird to say. 

"And this is Alphonse Elric." He motioned to the boy on his left who was still frozen in fear. Leo was starting to get worried. He gave the boy a little nudge and he gave the smallest of nods before attempting to hide his face in Leo's pant leg. 

"What happened here?" Mustang continued, ignoring the boy's discomfort. 

Leo scowled. "What does it look like? Human Transmutation. It went wrong," he said, tapping Ed's wheelchair. 

Mustang's eyebrow rose just slightly as he looked at the small boy. And then, he looked back at Leo. 

"Who are you?" He asked again. Leo tilted his head in confusion. 

"Le--" He was cut off. 

"Yes, Leonardo Elric. But who are you? There were only two people living in this house. I came here expecting to find a brilliant Alchemist but here I find two kids who just committed the ultimate Taboo and lived to see another." Mustang narrowed his eyes, "What's your relationship to these boys?" 

Leo felt his mouth go dry. What _was_ his relationship to the boys? He couldn't say he was their last hope. That just sounded silly. There were a lot of things he couldn't say now that he thought about it. Sure, he trusted Mustang, but Mustang didn't trust him. 

He put a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. Ed tried to shrug him off but Leo tightened his grip. A silent warning to not react. To stay still. He gave them a look, hoping they got it. Both Hawkeye and Mustang were trained professionals, they would know if he lied. 

"Their brother," he said in the most steady voice he could muster. 

Ed and Al must have gotten it because they didn't move. Either that or they were frozen in shock. 

It looked like it fooled Mustang and Hawkeye but with them, you could never be too sure. 

Mustang looked at the boys behind him. The hostility was gone, replaced with a look of intrigue. He knelt down, something that clearly irked the younger boy and spoke to Ed. 

"Listen here, you can stay in that wheelchair and wallow in self-pity for the rest of your life-" Oh no, he knew this speech. But, it was slightly different from the first time he'd heard it. 

"- Or, you can do something about it." Ed's eyes lit up with interest and even Alphonse looked over at him curiously. 

Leo had to put a stop to this. "No!" he yelled. 

Mustang looked startled while Ed looked annoyed. 

"You haven't even heard what he's going to say," Ed said, miffed. 

"I _know_ what he's going to say," Leo responded. 

He looked to Mustang, "Are you seriously trying to recruit them for the military?" He felt way more protective than he should. 

"It's our choice!" Ed yelled. 

"Really? So you're just going to join and then what? Lead Al into danger?" Ed flinched but didn't falter. 

"Al wouldn't join!" 

"He would follow you anywhere even if he wasn't a part of it!" he returned. 

Ed opened his mouth about to say something. Then, he closed his mouth and looked at Al, a look of horror crossing his face. He must've realized Leo was right. 

He looked back at Mustang who was watching the exchange with thinly veiled intrigue. 

"If you really want a State Alchemist. Take me." 

Mustang looked him up and down, "How do I know you're State Alchemist material?" 

Leo raised an eyebrow and gave him a look. 

Mustang looked right back. Leo sighed and facepalmed before dropping to the ground and clapping his hands. He put his hands on the floor and focused on making a spear. It was a weapon he was familiar with after all. He focused on making the inside hollow so that it would be easier to move around. 

And just like that, he was holding a spear. He made a show of slamming it onto the ground. 

"Does that answer your question?" Mustang looked shell shocked and Leo levelled him with an unimpressed look. 

"No transmutation circle," Mustang said under his breath. 

"This? It's nothing. Just a quick trick. If you really wanna see what I can do then you let me take the test instead of them. And if I don't pass, they can take it." It was true, he had many other things he could do. Travelling around the world studying Alchemy paid off. 

He was actually pretty excited. Ever since he had lost his Alchemy, all he could do was study the theory behind it, not being able to improve on it and making Al do it instead. Al had even taught him the theory behind Xingese Alkahestry. He had used it to close Ed's wounds so he already knew it worked. He knew if he showed that, he would definitely pass the test. 

Besides, it wasn't like Bradley was going to let a sacrifice candidate out of his sight. 

Mustang wasn't even trying to hide his curiosity anymore, even Hawkeye was giving him a look. She was impressed. 

Mustang gave him a grin, a genuine grin. He was excited and that was when Mustang went back to being _Roy_. 

"The next test is next week. I'll book your ticket," Mustang said. 

Wait. He had said _'ticket'_ , singularly. Did he really expect him to leave the boy's behind? He looked down at Ed and Al. Ed's face was carefully blank and he knew. He knew that Ed was expecting him to leave. That was why Ed had been so insistent on coming with him, and now he thought Leo was just going to leave him. 

Just like Hoenheim. 

He'd be damned before he let that happen. 

_'Again.'_ His brain reminded him. He winced as images of Adam and Nina flooded his mind. 

"I'm not leaving them," he said. Ed looked over at him in shock. Mustang tilted his head. 

"Then I'll book three tickets." Mustang nodded. 

"Five," Leo corrected. 

"Five?" Roy asked in confusion. 

"Ed will be having Automail surgery. We'll need two tickets for the mechanics." He nodded. 

"I am?" Ed asked. Not in annoyance but actual confusion. 

"Do you want to stay in the wheelchair your whole life?" Leo deadpanned. Ed looked down before shaking his head. 

Leo looked back at Roy expectantly. Roy just nodded, "Five tickets it is." 

And with that, Mustang turned around and left. But Hawkeye stayed behind. She was looking at the boys. 

"Who did you try to bring back?" She asked, her voice softer than he had ever heard it. It was...weird. But also terrifying. Everything about her was terrifying. 

The boys stiffened behind him, making no move to answer the question. Leo glanced at them before looking at Hawkeye, really looking at her. Her eyes held no malice or bad intent. He trusted her, in his timeline. She had proved to be a good friend and loyal to a fault. He had often joked about how she needed a raise for dealing with Mustang 24/7, she had overheard the conversation and to his surprise. She had actually gotten a raise. 

"Their mother," Leo responded after a long moment of silence. 

Hawkeye breathed sharply and in Hawkeye-speak, that was the equivalent of a wince. She looked at Leo, and oh no, that was her _'I'm evaluating you and if you turn out to be a dipshit I will shoot you'_ look. 

He had never been subjected to it but apparently, that was because he was a child and Hawkeye had a soft spot for children. He could clearly see that now. Huh, he wondered how the military would be like now. He knew State Alchemist's didn't have to wear the standard uniform so thank god for that. The actual State Alchemist uniform was a white cloak with a purple collar. It wasn't horrible, at least, not like the atrocious blue uniform the standard soldier had to wear. 

Hawkeye turned around and left without another word. He knew Hawkeye would tell Mustang what he told her but he didn't exactly care. He trusted Mustang and his team, always had. Even when he didn't care to admit it. 

Ed rolled the wheelchair over his foot. 

"Ow!" He jumped, holding his foot and falling over. 

The pain continued to throb. Why wasn't it heal-- 

And that was when white-hot pain overtook him. His vision blurred and he screamed. The pain lasted for a minute and then, it was gone but he felt like throwing up. His head hurt like hell. He dry retched a couple of times and turned back to look at the boys who were staring at him, eyes wide. Al in shock while Ed looked guilty as well as shocked. 

"What. Was _that?_ " he asked of no one in particular, his voice hoarse. It hadn't hurt that much when he had healed last time. It had felt like someone was stabbing him repeatedly. 

Could it be the conscious decision to heal? Or maybe it was someone causing the pain. He had stabbed himself last time. Did the Homunculi hurt like that every time they healed? Maybe they just had a way better pain tolerance. 

Great, another dozen questions to add to the pile of what the fuck. 

"Are- Are you okay?" He looked over and he was surprised to find Ed looking at him in worry. 

Leo looked over at him, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." And it wasn't a complete lie. 

He made to get up but it was significantly harder than he thought it would be. Al rushed over to help him and he gave him a soft smile. 

"Thank you," he said once he was standing. The world seemed to be spinning. Was that normal? 

"I'm sorry," Ed said so softly that Leo nearly missed it. 

Leo looked over at him, "It's not your fault. You didn't know it would happen. Hell, _I_ didn't know it would happen." 

Ed didn't say anything. Goddamnit, he forgot about his stupid fucking guilt complex. 

"Not your fault," he said once again before guiding Ed's wheelchair down the steps. But Ed was still in a funk. 

And so, he resorted to committing the ultimate betrayal. 

"Jeez, lighten up, pipsqueak."


	2. Chapter 2

After the horrible outburst from Ed (which Leo wholeheartedly deserved), they got their tickets to the train. It was due to leave in about a week or so. That would be enough time to close up Ed's arm and leg. 

"You want to give an eleven-year-old boy automail?" Granny asked, disbelieving. 

"He wants it," Leo shrugged. 

Granny sighed, "You realize that rehabilitation takes 3 years?" She pinched the bridge of her nose. 

Leo smirked. "Do you really think he's going to wait three years?" he asked, and from the look on her face, she knew the answer. 

She took a deep breath. "Alright," she said reluctantly. 

"If it makes you feel better, if you'd said no he probably would've made an arm and leg out of wood." Leo knew Ed _would have_ made an arm and leg out of wood. Granny had denied him automail once and he had gone to the nearest tree and made the limbs he needed out of wood. 

He had been a good few fingers and toes in before Granny had realized what he was doing. The look of abject horror on her face was pretty hard to forget. It was probably the most expressive Leo had ever seen her. 

Granny shook her head and walked out of the room, all the while mumbling under her breath, "That boy's going to be the death of me." 

Leo chuckled. If he was younger, he would have taken offence to that. But now that he knew what he was actually like? He really couldn't blame Mustang or the others. But no short jokes. That was a line that no one should cross. It hurt his very _soul_ to think about making a comment on Ed's perfectly average height. 

Ed came wheeling through, Alphonse close behind him. "So, did she say yes?" he asked, eyes wide and hopeful.

"Of course she did," Leo returned. 

Ed whooped, throwing his working arm into the air. 

"That's great brother!" Alphonse said from behind him. The boy was learning to be less shy around Leo, which was something the man was grateful for. 

_"But~"_ Leo drawled. Both Alphonse and Edward looked at him, confused. 

"The recovery from the surgery takes about… three years," he said in mock nonchalance, shrugging his shoulders. 

Mentally, he counted down in his head. 

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

"WHAT?!" Ed exploded.

"Brother..." Alphonse started. But not even he would be able to calm his brother this time. Leo remembered this outburst, he had gone on a tangent for at least half an hour. 

"NO, AL! I HAVE TO STAY IN THIS WHEELCHAIR AND LOOK LIKE HALF A POTATO FOR _THREE YEARS?!_ " The wheelchair was started to wiggle around from how much Ed was moving in it.

"Brother that's really not--" 

"I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO HELP ME GET OFF MY STUPID BED EVERY DAY SO I CAN JUST SIT ON MY ASS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY!" 

"Brother, that's really offensive to--" 

Before Ed could really get going. Leo stopped him. 

"Well, there have been people who've done it in a year. That is… if you're determined enough." He glanced at Ed, clearly conveying the challenge in his eyes. Ed looked back, his face set in determination. 

"I'll do it," Ed said. And Leo knew, he wasn't saying it to him. But to himself.

**_______________________________________**

"You can't go!" Winry yelled at Ed. 

Leo stood in the doorframe. Ed and Al had gone to tell Winry they were going to Central, and Leo had known how she would react. He couldn't have missed it. Watching their fights from another perspective? He should have made popcorn. 

The look on the brother's faces was hilarious. 

Oh God, he was turning into Mustang. The sadistic prick must have rubbed off on him. He knew the man wasn't good for his health. 

Winry pulled out a wrench. Ed and Al screamed, and Leo forgot his worries. 

It didn't take long for Ed to run. He grabbed his wheels and gave them the strongest push he could manage while Al completely forgot about him and ran for the hills. Winry, deciding that she hated Ed more, went for the long-range attack and heaved the wrench towards Ed. 

The poor boy didn't manage to dodge and got hit square in the skull. 

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME, WOMAN?!" Ed cried as he fell to the floor, rubbing his skull. 

Meanwhile, Leo didn't know what to feel. He had phantom pains in the back of his skull and he felt pity. But he also wanted to bust out laughing because _the look on his face!_

And then, he heard a sniffle. He looked over to see Winry on the floor with her face in her hands. Ed's anger quickly dissipated and he crawled over to her to whisper something into her ear. Leo couldn't hear what was being said, but he knew that Edward's presence alone was calming to the young girl. 

Al, who had decided to hide behind Leo, peaked out and looked at Winry in empathy. Sure, everyone thought Al was better at dealing with other people's emotions, and normally, he was. But when Edward really cared about someone and knew them well enough, he knew what to do to calm them down. 

Alphonse, on the other hand, would start crying with the person and that just made everything worse. One time, he had accidentally made a baby cry and had started crying himself. 

Yes, sometimes, Al was _too_ emotional. 

Al walked over to the sobbing Winry and hugged her. Soon, they were all engaged in a group hug and Leo knew that this was something they needed to deal with themselves. He wasn't close enough with them, and even if he was. This was something the kids had to deal with without any adults. 

Wow, he felt old. 

"Winry sure is going to miss those boys." Granny appeared behind him. Leo startled and whipped around, instinctively getting into a defensive position. When he saw who she was, he relaxed almost instantly.

Granny raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it. "You told Ed to finish his rehabilitation in a year," she said, her voice accusing. 

"I merely suggested it," Leo responded, not looking at her. 

"I may be old, but I'm not a fool," she spat, crossing her arms defiantly. 

"You knew he would do it," she continued.

"Of course I did. Do you really think he's going to be patient and wait for three years? You should be glad he's even waiting _one_ year." 

"He'll fry a good batch of his nerves." 

"Yes, he will." 

Granny looked at him, silently asking him to go on. 

"But, he would fry a lot more from trying to make wood arms and legs." 

Granny was silent for a moment before, "Why do you keep bringing that up?" she asked in genuine confusion. 

Leo laughed and made sure to put a mysterious grin on his face. "Only the universe knows." He made a wiggle motion with his fingers and left the room. He knew Pinako was just making a scene for drama's sake. 

But, there was no doubt that she was becoming suspicious. If he had to tell anyone the truth, he would tell her. She would probably figure it out on her own anyway, she was perceptive. Frighteningly so sometimes. 

He could feel her eyes on him as he left. Yeah, she would be the first to figure it out.

**________________________________________**

"Come on!" Leo called from the train. Winry and Al were both caught up in saying goodbye. Ed, however, was trying to drag Al away as Winry cried on him and vice versa.

He facepalmed. Ed could only do so much in his wheelchair and they didn't look like they were planning on letting go of each other anytime soon. He would have to help them. He sighed and put down his bags, walking over to them. 

He grabbed Alphonse and hefted him over his shoulder. The boy wasn't light, but he wasn't heavy either. Winry stuck herself to his pant leg and he had to shake her off. 

"You've said goodbye," he said, irritation getting the best of him. He looked at Pinako for help but she was very pointedly looking away. The smirk on her face was positively wicked.

"That's it," he said, and motioned to Edward. He smirked at him before grabbing Winry and yelling, 

"Look! The newest Automail arm model!" Edward yelled in fake excitement, pointing over in a random direction. 

Winry gasped, letting go of Leo instantly and looking over to where Ed had pointed. He didn't hesitate before grabbing Edward's chair and bolting over to their train, Al still on his shoulder. He had quieted down significantly but Leo could still hear little sniffles. 

They made it onto the train and Leo spared a glance over to Winry and Pinako. Winry looked absolutely outraged but was still waving goodbye while Pinako was clearly struggling not to laugh her ass off. 

"Bye Winry!" Al screamed at the top of his lungs. Leo knew he did it just because of how close he was to Leo's ear. That was Al, all passive-aggressive, while Edward had all the subtlety of a freight train. 

He walked over to their seats and plopped Al down. He grabbed Ed and sat him down onto the train seat. 

"I don't need your help!" Ed struggled. Leo rolled his eyes and smirked just slightly. 

"Of course you don't," Leo said as seriously as possible. Ed scowled and crossed his arms. 

Leo walked over to Ed's abandoned wheelchair and carefully folded it up. He put the chair in the compartment right above their seats where the rest of their luggage was. There wasn't much of it. Leo didn't have any possessions and Ed and Al only took the essentials, or the things that held sentimental value. 

He sat down next to Al and prepared himself. He was going to Central. There were a few things that had been plaguing his mind. Hughes was one of them. Mustang had never been the same since his best friend's death and Leo had missed the man dearly. 

What had been most heartbreaking to him though, was the fact that Elicia barely remembered her dad. Sure, she asked for stories about him all the time, but she didn't have many memories of him herself. The occasional blurry memory or a flash of the funeral. But not many clear memories of the man who had loved her so much. The man who had treasured her and his family so much that he showed everyone pictures of them, even though he knew they were annoyed. 

He wouldn't let him die this time. He just couldn't. He would skin Envy alive if it came to it. He would burn her just as Mustang had wanted to do. But he wouldn't let Hughes die again. 

And then, there was the other problem. Nina. 

He was elated that he had the chance to save her. Maybe even save her mother. He hadn't known Arianna Tucker at all, but he knew Nina loved her. Had missed her. If the girl didn't have any living relatives, then what would happen to her?

She would be put into an orphanage. Leo couldn't let that happen. The system was severely flawed. No one would want Nina. Not after they'd hear about what happened to her. They wanted newborn children. They didn't want to have to put effort into developing a bond with them. It was horrible living in an Amestris orphanage. 

If it came down to it, Leo would take her in. 

_'Big Brother Ed?'_ He heard the distorted voice of the Chimera say. No, not the Chimera, _Nina_. 

That voice haunted his memories. Played again and again in his nightmares. He hadn't had any sort of closure with Nina. Her story had been an awful one. He was determined to make sure it didn't happen again. 

Never. Again. 

He glanced over at the boys who were quietly conversing with each other. It was strange. He felt... pulled towards them. Like he had been towards his own children. It was like he would do anything to protect them. Like he was willing to do anything to protect them. Like there was no choice, no hesitation to what he would do if they were in danger. 

He sighed. He missed his Nina and Adam. But he couldn't think about them. It pained him to, and he had so many things to do. He couldn't be selfish and give in to his own feelings, not when so much was at stake around him. 

There was just so much to do. 

Liore, Briggs, Youswell. So many people he had helped before and so many people that he had to help again. Maybe better this time...

"Are you okay?" a soft voice asked from beside him. He looked up. Alphonse again. 

"Yeah," he said absentmindedly. 

"You keep doing that, you know," Ed spoke up. 

"Doing what?" Leo asked. 

"Spacing out and looking into the distance..." He trailed off even though it was clear he wanted to say more. 

"And you look so sad," Alphonse finished for him. 

"Oh," he said quietly. What was he supposed to say? They were both looking at him expectantly. He couldn't just shrug them off. That would hurt them, emotionally. And the mere prospect of that hurt _him_.

"I'm fine. I just feel...like I've failed you," he spat out. That wasn't a complete lie. He did feel like he had failed them. Why did he feel like that?

"Why?" Alphonse asked the very same question. 

And then, the words came to him. "I'm supposed to protect you...?" The words came out as more of a question. Where did that come from?

Edward scoffed, "You're not our Mom." He turned away. 

"No, I'm not. But, I'm supposed to protect you." The words came out more strongly this time. Like he was sure of it. 

And that was when all the pieces clicked together. The pull towards them. The desire to protect them. The way he zeroed in on them when he felt like they were in danger, like how nothing else mattered at that moment. 

He had done research on Homunculi after the Promised Day, and all of them had one thing in common. A purpose. Like how every human had a purpose and Homunculi were artificial humans. They had everything a human did, sans heart, including a purpose. How could he have been so stupid? When he had been 'made,' Edward had been trying to get Alphonse back. He had to have been feeling enormously protective at that moment. And Alphonse would have been as well. 

Those feelings must have transferred onto him. Making it his purpose. To protect the boys. 

"That's it!" he shouted. The brothers startled and looked at him as if he was crazy. 

"What's it?" Edward asked. 

"Every Homunculus has a purpose. My purpose is to protect both of _you_! That's _it_!" He had no idea why he was so excited. He just was. 

"W-Wait, every Homunculus has a purpose?" Alphonse asked. 

"Yes! Like how they say every person has a purpose. A Homunculus is an artificial human. They have everything a human does. Including a purpose. Normally, the creator of the Homunculus decides what it is." 

He would have thought Shaw would have chosen the Homunculus's purpose. He should be grateful she didn't. He didn't even know what the lady would have wanted. Knowing her, it would have been genocide. 

"But I didn't do that!" Edward argued. 

"Well… What did you feel when you tried to bring Alphonse back? What were you thinking?" he asked. 

Edward hesitated for a moment, looking over at Alphonse. "I wanted him back. More than anything. He's all I have left."

"And you, Alphonse?" He turned to look at Alphonse who was giving his brother a comforting look.

Alphonse thought for a moment. "It's a bit fuzzy. I just wanted Brother." Alphonse shrugged. 

Leo snapped his fingers. "That's it. You both wanted each other. Edward was feeling protective of you. Those feelings transferred over to me. Making it my purpose," he explained. 

"So what? You're going to be a mother hen now?" Edward asked, mocking. But there was a look of curiosity in his eyes. 

Leo chuckled. "I'll have to look into that. I don't know much. I've only been alive for a few weeks." He lied. Well, it was more of a half-truth. He didn't know much about Homunculi and purposes. The only true expert on the subject would be Father. And hell if he ever had a civil conversation with the guy. 

He wondered what Father's purpose was...

**______________________________________**

"Yo!" A man was waving a sign around on the platform when he spotted them. The sign read, 

_'The guy who looks like he was made from a drop of sunlight!'_

Leo's heart - did he still have one? - almost stopped when he saw who it was. _Hughes._

He stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to make sure he didn't freak out as soon as he saw him. It wouldn't look good if he had a panic attack on the subway station. He had once, and it was definitely a horrible experience. They all were; it was just like the cherry on top of the misery sundae. 

"Hello," he greeted, eyeing the sign very pointedly. 

He opened his mouth to say something, but Ed beat him to it. "What's with the sign?" 

Hughes looked down at where Ed and Al were. Al was tending to Ed's wheelchair while Ed was trying to make himself comfortable in it. Hughes' eyes lit up. "You have kids?" 

Leo choked on the air, images of Adam and Nina flashing through his mind. "No!" he said quickly. 

Hughes threw his head back and laughed. "I know! I'm just messing with you!" He put his hand on Leo's shoulder and it took everything in him not to flinch. 

"What's with the sign?" Ed asked again, but his words sounded a bit strained this time. 

Hughes glanced at it and smirked. "Just something a friend said." He looked at Leo with a knowing look in his eyes. Leo tilted his head, confused. 

"Anyway! Come with me. I'll show you where you'll be staying. And where you'll be taking the test." He directed the last part at Leo. 

He nodded, motioning for Hughes to lead the way. Which he did. All along the way, the man didn't stop talking. And Leo found that he didn't mind. Quite the opposite actually. He even did the one thing he had sworn he would never do. 

"So, do you have any kids?" He smiled knowingly, waiting for the familiar spiel. 

Hughes gasped and looked at him like he was a god. "Of course I do! I actually have a few photos from her last dance recital, let me show you." He fumbled with his wallet and took out a line of photos. 

The old Leo - Edward - would have bashed his head into the wall by now. But he was just so happy to see Hughes again that it didn't matter. He could show him all the photos he had of his daughter and he still wouldn't mind. Just to see that smile on his face again and the endless chatter and praise. 

He did see Edward giving Alphonse a look though. But he didn't find it in himself to reprimand him for it. It would make him a hypocrite after all. 

After a few minutes, they reached the car. It wasn't a military issue like Leo had thought it would be. It was actually a very familiar car, one that Mustang had used a lot in the time that Leo had known him. 

At the driver's seat sat Jean Havoc. And Leo almost gasped when he saw him, using both of his legs like nothing had happened. That was because nothing _had_ happened. Yet. And he would be damned if something did happen. 

He opened the door to let Ed and Al in first. He lifted Ed off his wheelchair just as he did on the train and folded said chair into a smaller cube before putting it into the trunk. 

"Hey, Chief," Havoc mumbled from around his cigarette.

"Hello," Leo greeted. 

"So, the kids coming with you or you dropping 'em off at the hotel?" 

That caught Ed's attention. "No! We're coming with him!" he said almost immediately. 

Havoc gave the boy an amused look but still looked at Leo, waiting for an answer. Ed and Al were looking at him expectantly, like the simple idea of telling them no was unfathomable. And, really, it was. 

"You heard the man." He purposefully avoided calling Ed a 'boy', he knew what reaction _that_ would get. 

Havoc shrugged, "'Kay," and he started driving. 

But Leo noticed the looks Havoc gives him. 

**____________________________________________**

As soon as Leo entered the office, he knew something was off. Fuery did a double-take when he saw him and then whispered something to Falman who in turn, tried to look even more professional than usual. 

Hawkeye, however, was the worst. She kept on giving him scrutinizing looks, not even trying to hide them like Havoc was. It didn't take a genius - which he was - to see the judgemental glint in her eyes. 

Things only got worse when he spoke. All he did was mutter a simple, "Hello." 

Falman looked like he was about to faint even though he wasn't being addressed specifically. It was how he looked when anyone three ranks or more above him talked to him. 

And that was when Breda chose to come in. He was holding a box in his hands. 

It didn't stay there for long. He looked confused at the tension in the room but went stock still when he saw Leo. His eyes lingered on Leo's hair for a moment before darting to look him in the eyes. He didn't hold eye contact for long though. 

And that was when he dropped the box. 

Leo had predicted this. And he rushed to keep the box from falling; who knew what was in it. It might be fragile. He caught it and gave it back to Breda, smiling at him despite how weird he was acting. Despite how weird all of them were acting. 

It was probably Mustang's fault somehow anyways. They normally only got like this when he was in a bad mood or his mother was visiting. 

"You're here." Speak of the devil. 

He turned away from Breda's shocked gaze and looked at Mustang. He gave him a quick once-over, something he did with everyone, but stopped when he saw how he looked. He looked more polished than usual. His hair clearly had some product in it, or he had taken a shower recently; it was distinctly shinier than usual. 

His uniform looked like it had just been ironed and there was a faint smell coming from it. Like...cologne? 

All in all, it made him look much more appealing than usual. Enough to be noticeable - if you were perceptive enough - but not too overdone. The man must have a date. The thought hurt him; he was a jealous person. But he didn't even know Mustang here. Well, _Mustang_ didn't know _him_. Far be it from him to give the man dating advice. 

"Where are Edward and Alphonse?" Mustang raised an eyebrow and -- were they plucked?

"Keeping Havoc company." He responded but didn't fight the evil grin that he knew was on his face. Leo knew how bad Havoc was around children. He thought any child under the age of 18 was to be treated like a toddler. And he knew how well Edward would take to that. And something told him Alphonse wouldn't try that hard to stop him. 

Mustang's eyes widened just a tad and his lips twitched but he didn't smile. Truth knows the man was emotionless on the job. _'Unless he got a call from a girl,'_ Leo thought bitterly. 

"Well, your assessment is happening in half an hour. Cutting it close don't you think?" Mustang said. 

Leo looked around the room, suddenly aware of all the eyes on him. He wouldn't have cared, under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances. The office was acting super weird and he didn't feel like being watched by Hawkeye any longer. 

He started to walk out of the room, in the direction that he knew the assessment rooms were, expecting Mustang to follow him. And follow he did.

"What's up with your crew today? They were all looking at me weird," Leo asked. 

It must have been the light, but he thought he saw a small dust of pink on Mustang's cheeks as he looked away. 

"Hmm, they must be glad they're going to get a new member," Mustang said smoothly. 

Leo raised an eyebrow. "You seem awfully sure I'm going to pass." 

"It's a gut feeling," Mustang smirked. 

"Sure." He rolled his eyes. 

"What happens if I don't join _your_ unit?" He was genuinely curious. In the other timeline, it was obvious he was going to go into Mustang's unit. He was the one who recommended Leo of course. 

Mustang's eyes narrowed and gained a glint to them. Something that was strangely familiar, something that he had seen in the other Mustang's eyes. His jaw was set, clearly determined, as he said, "Of course you're going to be in my unit." 

"Whatever you say, Colonel." 

Mustang gave him a strange look, his eyebrows knit together. "Lieutenant Colonel actually. But I am due for a promotion soon." There was clearly a hidden question in that. And all Leo could think was,

 _'Fuck.'_

Him and his big mouth. He had forgotten that the Colonel had been promoted right after he had joined. He didn't know how he did. The man had boasted about it in a way that he had thought was subtle. 

It was about as subtle as hitting someone in the face with a frying pan (something he had wanted to do very often that week.) 

"I must have misheard someone else say it." He thought quickly. Damn, he was getting good at the art of bullshit. 

Mustang didn't look convinced but didn't look like he wanted to pry either. This was the only time he was thankful the guy was halfway decent. He wouldn't want to accuse a 'stranger' of lying now, would he? 

Roy Mustang, the gentlemen. 

"Just curious; your hair and your eyes, I've never seen anything like them before. The colour, of course." The last part sounded like an afterthought, it was clearly added in a rush. 

Who the fuck asks that? His hair? His _eyes_? Sure, he had gotten strange looks before. Someone had even called him a demon and had tried to perform an exorcism on him (Leo had been too busy laughing his ass off to really stop him) but they had never asked about it. Even though some had clearly wanted to. 

"Oh, I get it from my father. He was of Xerxian descent. You know, people made of gold?" he said truthfully. He was just leaving out the part where his father was apparently a few hundred years old. 

Mustang's eyes widened and he tilted his head. "Ed and Al have the same hair and eye colour," Leo said. 

"Yes, they do," Mustang answered a bit absentmindedly. 

"I think it's less 'made of gold' and more 'made of sunlight.' Don't you think? You certainly glow," Mustang said. 

Leo opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. He hesitated for a moment, feeling his face heat up as he desperately tried to think of what to say--

"Oh look! We're here," Mustang answered, looking triumphant. 

Leo didn't have time to say anything when he heard his name being called. It looked like he had made it just in time. Casting Mustang one last confused look, he closed the door. He turned to look around the room. 

That was a mistake. He knew that as soon as his eyes landed on Fuhrer King Bradley. He stood at the front of the room, his hand clasped behind his back and a smile on his face like _nothing was wrong_ -

 _Fu's dead body._

_Lan Fan's arm._

_Buccaneer dead._

It took all of his self-control to stop himself from hurling himself at the damn Homunculus and killing it at least a thousand times. No, he wouldn't jeopardize himself like this. He wouldn't give them a reason to take the boys away. 

Schooling his expression he made his way to the centre of the room. 

"Leonardo Elric. Assessment begins," someone to the side said. But Leo didn't look, his eyes were locked onto Bradley. No, not Bradley-- _Wrath._

Leo gave a sharp nod and started with a technique he had learned from the West. He clapped his hands and focused, slamming them onto the ground. Almost immediately, two daggers whizzed by him. 

He caught them with ease. 

He had used the wall to make them, there were two clear indents where the material was used. He had focused on where he wanted to use the material, he didn't even have to be touching it. It was like an electric current, all he needed was to focus. 

He looked back at the spectators, they were all looking at him with open awe. He was just about to do his next trick when someone stopped him. 

When _he_ stopped him. 

"Impressive. How do you do it without touching the material?" Wrath asked. 

"It's a Cretan technique," he grit out, not looking at Wrath. 

Wrath hummed noncommittally. "I've heard that you can heal people with your alchemy. Is that true?" 

Leo was momentarily thrown off guard. How the fuck did he know that? Was he stalking him? Was he stalking the boys? Were they safe?

But all he did was nod his head, even when his mind was yelling at him to start getting answers. His self-control had gotten better over the years. Wrath raised an eyebrow, looking dubious. 

"Then surely, you wouldn't mind a demonstration?" 

Leo only took a second to answer, "Of course, sir. On who?" 

Wrath motioned for someone to come forward. One of the spectators from the side stepped towards him and took out a knife. Instantly, Leo was on guard. But the person only cut her palm. Her face remained impassive as she made it, clearly used to worse. 

The woman walked towards him and held out her hand, looking expectant. Leo gave her a look but clapped his hands. 

It was like everyone leaned forward, holding their breaths to see what would happen. 

Leo put one of his hands under her hand and the other over the injury itself. There was a crackle of alchemy and he raised his hands, letting go of hers. The woman raised an eyebrow, lifting her hand up for everyone to see. 

The wound was gone. 

Wrath gave him a smile, one that was clearly meant to look friendly, but to Leo, was anything but. "Thank you, Mr. Elric. That was all we needed. You may leave now." He dismissed him with a wave of his hand. 

It was all Leo could do to keep from rolling his eyes. But he left the room nonetheless, and there was a feeling in his gut that told him he had passed. 

That same feeling told him to be two times more suspicious. 

**__________________________________________**

Leo was just chilling in the office, right next to Fuery and Falman. Both of who were currently looking at him like he was an alien and looked unsure of what to do about it. But he didn't find himself caring. Mustang had invited him to stay until his results came through; plus, he liked causing tension. It was funny to see if anyone would comment on it. 

And then, Havoc burst in looking frantic. In an instant, everyone's attention was on him. What had happened? Was there an attack? Had Scar decided to target alchemists already? Did the timeline change somehow? _Were the boys okay?_

"Those children are monsters!" Havoc yelled. 

And that was when everyone became aware of the writing on Havoc's face. There were doodles of little stick figures fighting and a few cat drawings that just screamed Alphonse on them. They didn't look half bad. Maybe he should enroll them in an art class... 

Havoc's hair had also changed from its normal light brown to a hideous shade of green. 

It took all of five seconds for everyone to burst out laughing (Hawkeye looked amused and she might have chuckled once or twice). 

Havoc looked offended but not surprised as he pouted at everyone. 

"I knew that would happen," Leo whispered when everyone had quieted down.

"And you left me with them? The betrayal!" It was the first time someone other than Mustang - and Wrath but he didn't count - had addressed him directly. Especially in Mustang's crew. It was nice to break into the same banter with his old friends again. 

Besides, they were the same age now. No more short jokes! But that meant he couldn't make any age jokes...

Well, you win some you lose some. 

"They needed entertainment." He shrugged. 

Havoc glared and Leo smirked right back. "Do you need something to clean with?" he asked, mock-concerned.

Havoc rolled his eyes and went to sit down at his desk. 

"Where are the boys?" Leo asked. Havoc humphed but answered, 

"Bothering the Boss somewhere." 

As if on cue Mustang entered looking flustered and embarrassed at the same time. Edward and Alphonse were trailing behind him. Edward had a smug grin on his face while Alphonse had a dopey grin on. He knew that grin. They had just gotten into an argument and had won. And from the look on Alphonse's face, it was something that meant a lot to them. He wondered what they talked about. He would ask later. 

"Hey, boss," Havoc greeted absentmindedly with a lazy salute. Mustang shot him a glare, glancing at Leo for some reason. The effect was instantaneous, Havoc straightened up looking like a perfect soldier before performing a perfect salute. 

"Good afternoon, Sir!" he amended. Leo raised an eyebrow but didn't comment on it. It would look weird if he knew how laid back Havoc usually was. He wouldn't want them to think he was a stalker. 

"I've got the results from your examination." Leo noticed the golden envelope in his hands. 

Mustang handed it to him and the people in the room watched with bated breath (Edward and Alphonse did, the rest just watched with curious looks). Leo opened the folder to see that he had, indeed, passed. It wasn't like he had doubted it. But he did have a few back-up plans just in case he had failed. He liked to be prepared. 

"What's your title?" Havoc asked

Leo glanced down to the bottom of the page. He tilted his head at the name, "The Red Light Alchemist." He said. 

It was a reference to how when he used Alkahestry, the crackle of the Transmutation changed from the normal blue to a vibrant red. 

"Not that bad," he mumbled under his breath. But he would always love 'The Fullmetal Alchemist.' 

"The Fuhrer tried to name you 'The Boo-Boo Alchemist' but he ran into a few problems."

 _'Good'_ Leo thought, horrified at the simple thought of being called.... _that_. If that had actually gone through, he would have marched up to Wrath's office and punched him in the face, demanding a name change. Consequences be damned. Unless he hurt the boys, of course. 

"Well, is that all for today?" he asked. 

Mustang hesitated for a moment - jeez, that was twice in one day; was he feeling okay? - before nodding. "Yes, come back tomorrow. 10 am," he ordered. 

Leo allowed himself to show his amusement before grabbing each of the boys hands and leaving. 

**____________________________________________________**

"Right, both of you stay here," Leo said. 

"Wow, leaving two kids all alone in an apartment? So irresponsible," Edward said in mock-offense. Leo knew he didn't really have any problem with it. If he did he would be totally vocal about it. He was blunt where Alphonse was passive-aggressive. 

"I'll be back in a bit." He had an idea. If he had done the math right then it would work out perfectly. Unless the government documents were faked, of course, but he had a back up for that. 

"Right." Edward rolled his eyes. 

Alphonse glanced back at him before lowering his eyes and mumbling in a small voice, "Be safe," and dashing to go choose his room. Edward, catching onto this, ran after him to go get the biggest bedroom. 

Leo chuckled both out of affection and genuine amusement. 

Now, it was time to go save Nina.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello," an unfamiliar woman greeted him. The house was much tinier than he remembered but that was to be expected. Tucker didn't have his State Alchemist salary to live on.

"Hello, ma'am, I'm here to see your husband." He cut straight to the point. 

"Oh, you must be from the military. He missed his examination so we were expecting you to come over. Shou’s out at the moment so you can wait in the living room," she said, a soft smile dancing on her lips. Leo felt a pang in his heart. She looked so nice and calm. How could Tucker kill her? No, not kill her. Turn her into a monster and make her want to kill herself. 

"Come in." She stepped aside and walked over to what he assumed was the kitchen, given the absolutely heavenly smell that came from the room. 

"Would you like something to drink?" She peeked her head out of the room. 

It would keep her occupied while he snooped around. "Yes, please." 

She nodded slightly before going back in. Leo didn't hesitate, he started to look around for anything that could be of use to him. Something, anything. Just a hallway down and he spotted a few markings on the wall. He stopped immediately, leaning closer to inspect it. They were subtle but definitely there. Alchemical markings. 

There was something behind the wall.

 _'Jackpot.'_ Leo put his hands on the wall and concentrated. The wall split apart to reveal a hallway. One that was chillingly familiar. It was a secret entrance, one to Tucker's laboratory. The hallway was lit with lights just bright enough to see the faintest outlines but too dark to really focus on anything. It looked like there were scorch marks on the walls. Clear evidence of a rebound. 

Leo took a turn and came face to face with the one thing that had haunted his dreams for 14 years. A human transmutation circle. Leo's eyes widened. Had he made it just in time? If Tucker had started to draw the circle it was only a matter of time before he used it. When exactly had Tucker made the chimera? And maybe the most pressing question. What was his toll? 

In the middle of the circle sat a dog, tied to the wall by the collar around his neck. He didn't look worried. Oblivious to the horror he was going to be put through. He looked in perfect health. It made sense, maybe bonding his wife with a healthy dog was some sort of sick way of apologizing. But when you really thought about Tucker's character, it was more likely that the formula he was using required at least one of the subjects being in good health. In alchemy, you only used the best ingredients. 

Leo glanced at the desk, a small lamp sat at the edge. And on top of the desk sat scattered papers. A few had drawings of transmutation circles while others had notes that had clearly been written in a rush. Tucker's notes were scattered everywhere on the paper, some on the edges while others were on the backside. Some broke off in the middle of the sentence and started again on a completely different piece of paper. 

All a testament to Tucker's madness. 

_'We're the same, Ed!'_

No, they weren't. 

**__________________________________________**

"Let me go!" Shou Tucker yelled as a Military officer handcuffed him. Ariana Tucker had her hands to her mouth as she looked over the notes they had handed to her. She didn't have to be an alchemist to understand something bad was going to have happened to her. 

The only reason it didn't was because of that man. When he had shown up at her doorstep she had been suspicious, if only because he looked shocked to see her. Like he had been expecting someone else. And when she had looked through the peephole he had looked so angry and disgusted at the same time. But she had decided to extend the same hospitality she would anyone else towards him. And she was grateful she had. God knows what would have happened if she had turned him away. 

But...something told her that he wouldn't have left so easily. 

She looked over at said officer. He was currently holding her baby in his arms, and he looked at her so adoringly. Like she had when she had first seen Nina. There was a deep pain in his eyes, one that she had only seen in the most experienced of war veterans. 

A man with black hair approached him, followed closely by a woman with shorter blonde hair much like her own. 

"Red Light," the man said.

'Red Light' cringed at the name but looked up from the baby in his arms. 

"How exactly did you know about Tucker's experimentations?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

'Red Light' blanched and looked away. It was like...he couldn't say something. Ariana sighed. After all he had done for her, this was the least she could do. 

"I told him." She spoke up for the first time as she walked over to the alchemist and his commanding officer. 

They all turned to her; Red Light looked shocked while the others looked intrigued. 

"And why would you do that?" 

"I'm not an alchemist but I knew something was wrong with my hus-- _that man._ I felt unsafe with him and when I saw someone holding the pocketwatch I begged him to come help me," she answered without faltering once. 

She had always been a good liar. It didn't hurt that she looked like the perfect housewife. Docile and submissive. Maybe she should add some tears just to seal the deal. It was always how her mom had taught her. Red Light was looking at her like she had grown a second head but she didn't spare him more than a glance. She just kept staring at the two officers in front of her, daring them to try and prove her wrong. 

Finally, the black-haired man looked away and let a small smile grace his face. It was barely there, but she could see it. Only because she was so close. He turned back to Red Light and the tension left his shoulders, replaced by a certain glint in his eyes that was almost definitely respect. 

"Thank you, Red Light. You may have just saved this woman's life. And stopped us from employing such a horrible man," he said sincerely. Red Light looked like he was about to faint. 

"Um, yeah," he said intelligently. 

"Tomorrow you'll meet us at Central Command. We're moving back to Easy City anyways. You'll probably have to find an apartment," he said offhandedly. 

And with that, the man and woman left, leaving a stupefied Red Light behind. The man turned back to her looking so lost that it was almost adorable. 

"Why did you do that?" he asked 

"I repaid the favor. But don't think you're gonna get out of explaining to me why you were here. Not that I'm not grateful, of course." 

Red Light muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "What the fuck is with women and mood swings?"

**__________________________________________**

Leo didn't know what to do, and that was saying something because normally he had a backup plan for everything. Okay, so he made stupid mistakes sometimes -- everyone did. Did he tell Mrs. Tucker the truth or just feed her a lie? She had already done him a favor; Leo would feel bad lying to her. 

He sighed. It looked like Ariana Tucker would be the first one he told the truth to. He turned back to Mrs. Tucker who had been waiting patiently. 

"I'm from the future," he deadpanned. 

Arianna's mouth dropped. Okay, so _maybe_ he could have been more smooth. It wasn't his fault! He had no social skills, Al said so!

"Yeah, alchemic rebound and human transmutation. So...ta-da?" he finished weakly, spreading his hands out in a welcoming gesture before immediately cringing at the look on the woman's face. 

"Ha, ha, now tell me the truth," she commanded, tapping her foot. 

"It is the truth, " he returned petulantly. 

She responded by glaring at him and he took a step back. She looked way too much like Teacher when she was mad. 

"You're thinking about getting Nina a dog. You would name the dog Alexander," he said, hoping, praying to Truth he had made the right assumption. He didn't know much about Mrs. Tucker in general, and Nina was too young to use any of his knowledge about her with her mother. And he really didn't want to tell her where her parents lived. He had gotten that information from her file back in the last timeline. 

Back...in the future? Time travel was a bitch on the tenses. 

Ariana, for her part, looked composed. Except for the tiny fact that she looked like she was about to faint. 

"But...that's not possible." 

Taking a page out of Greed's book, he answered, "Nothing's impossible," 

And to prove his point, he rolled up his left sleeve and showed her the Homunculus tattoo. Being an alchemist's wife, she had to know at least a few things about alchemy. It was why she had balked when she read Tucker's notes. And when he heard a sharp intake of breath, Leo knew he had been right. He looked back to see Arianna holding her baby closer to her as she took several steps back. It felt like someone had shoved a knife in his chest (not memories he wanted to relive); that was the first time he had gotten that reaction, but something told him it wouldn't be the last. 

He thought back to all the times Mustang, and his crew, had called the Homunculi 'its' and 'monsters'. He didn't think they weren't... but would they think the same about him when he told them? _If_ he told them? 

He didn't think he would be able to take it if the boys saw him as some monster. He was sure his heart would break the moment he saw the fear in their eyes. He remembered the first time he realized that the Homunculi were… Homunculi. The fear from all the stories he had heard. The way the simple name struck fear into his heart. Would this Ed be the same? No, he would make sure he wasn't. 

"Y-You're a..." She clammed up. 

"I'm not a monster," he said, and he didn't even know if he was saying it to Arianna or himself. 

Arianna looked away for a moment before she looked back, a new type of steel in her eyes and she loosened her grip on Nina before walking closer to him. She put her free hand on his shoulder. "No, you're not." 

He looked up to see that same soft smile that he had seen on Mom so many times before. It was only the look a mother could give. 

"I know what monsters look like now. And you are nothing like Shou." 

And that was the moment all his walls came crumbling down. 

**__________________________________________**

Leo stopped the moment he heard voices coming out of the apartment. They were muffled but definitely didn't belong to Ed or Al. On instinct, he grabbed one of his spare kunais. He had taken to carrying them after his little stint to Xing. Lan Fan had taught him how to hide them almost everywhere so it was rare to find him without them. The second they had landed in Central, Leo had bought more of them. They were nowhere near Xingese quality but maybe he could get some from Lan Fan and Fu when they came to Amestris this time. 

He slowly opened the door and brought the kunai close to him. The second the voices stopped he flung the Kunai right next to the nearest unknown Qi signature. 

He immediately regretted it when he saw Pinako looking at him with her mouth open and her cigarette on the floor. 

"Pinako?!" he gasped. Ed and Al were right next to him looking at him in shock and no small mix of awe.

"Are you trying to kill me, boy?!" she yelled, shaking her tiny fist up and down. Arianna, for her part, was behind him, trying desperately to muffle her laughter. And failing horribly. 

"I thought you were someone else! I haven't been around you long enough to recognize your Qi yet!" And it was true. The Pinako he knew had a different Qi signature altogether. Apparently, the theory of no one having the same Qi signature was correct. 

PInako opened her mouth to say something but Ed cut her off. "Qi? And what's that knife...thingy?" he asked with genuine curiosity. 

"He'll tell you later. What we should really be talking about is why you left two children alone for 4 hours and came back with a woman and a baby!" she yelled, not looking the least bit ashamed at the insinuation. 

Even Ed looked horrified, "Granny! Homunculi can't procreate!" 

He glanced back at Arianna, silently apologizing for his eccentric fam--

He shook the thought from his head. 

"This is Arianna Tucker. I offered her a place to stay after her husband tried to turn her into a living chimera," he said casually. 

Granny, Ed, and Al's mouths dropped open. 

"A chimera?" Al whispered, horrified. 

Arianna sighed, "I'm fine. All thanks to Leo here. He saved me and my baby." She glanced down at the tiny Nina in her hands, her eyes immediately softening as a small smile lit up her face. 

"It would be okay if I stayed here, right?" She turned back to the children and Pinako and Leo's eyes widened when he realized that she actually cared what they thought. Most people wouldn't care to actually ask them what made them comfortable. 

It looked like Ed and Al were thinking the same because it took several seconds before he actually responded. "Yeah, sure," Ed answered, trying to fake his normal casual demeanor. 

Pinako, for her part, was looking at Leo like it was the first time she had seen him. When she looked at Arianna, she had an unreadable look on her face. But Leo was sure he caught a hint of sadness in her eyes. It looked old, subdued in a way. It looked… like grief. 

She walked up to Arianna and looked up at her. "You remind me of my son's wife," she stated and Leo suddenly realized why she was so sad. It was true, Mrs. Rockbell and Arianna could have been sisters. 

Arianna looked confused but Leo waved it off with a short, "It was a compliment." 

"So, Pinako, where's Winry? And why are you here?" He cut straight to the point. 

"I told you we were coming to Central with you. Never said we were gonna take the same train. Plus, Ed needs his arm and leg." She held up an Automail arm and a partially complete Automail leg. 

Leo nodded while Arianna looked at Ed, horrified. It must have been hard for her, a mother, to see such a young child with automail limbs. Leo had to admit, seeing it from an outsider's perspective was a bit… unsettling. But he knew Ed didn't see it like that so he saw no reason to. 

"Where's Winry?" he asked. 

"Next room," Pinako answered shortly. 

And that was the moment Winry decided to walk in. Her eyes widened when she saw Arianna but the more she looked at her, the more tension bled out of her shoulders. Leo had a sneaking suspicion he knew what that was about and looking at Ed and Al, they knew too. 

"Who are you?" she asked in a shy voice. 

Arianna smiled. "Arianna Tu-- Weber," she cut herself off. It made sense, she would probably get a divorce soon anyways. And then she would go back to her maiden name, Weber.

"I'm Winry," Winry answered, smiling slightly. It would take a while, but Leo knew they would become quick friends. 

"It's very nice to meet you, Winry," Arianna greeted. 

"Oh, Arianna, your room will be next to the boys. It's a bit small, though." He said the last part sheepishly. 

"That's alright. We used to live in much worse conditions. I've learned to appreciate what I have," Arianna said before leaving. Leo suddenly realized he would have to buy baby supplies. Again. Don't get him wrong, he loved babies but… they were so _loud_ And even though he had helped take care of two, he still had no idea what to do with them. 

_"Why is he crying?!" Ed yelled, running towards Winry, a distressed child in his hands._

_"He's just tired Ed, he wants to go to sleep," Winry replied, a smile on her face. She loved seeing him like this, the evil woman._

_"I tried! Every time I put him down he starts crying!"_

_"Did you give him a bath?" she asked, a knowing look on her face._

_"...He needs one?"_

He shuddered. He was not getting stuck on diaper duty again. Ed and Al looked at him pointedly, "If you bring in any more people we're gonna need to buy a bigger house." Ed shook his fist. 

Oh! Speaking of... "Actually, we're going to East City soon so I probably _will_ buy a bigger house." 

Ed and Al's jaw dropped. It was silent for a moment before Ed screeched, "I was joking you jerk! Why do we need to go to East City?!" 

Leo raised an eyebrow, amused, "Because that's where I'm going to be posted." 

Ed sighed, "We got here like a week ago and we're already moving." 

Leo shrugged, feeling slightly apologetic. 

"Don't worry, brother! I've heard the food in East City is great!" Alphonse cheered him up. The result was instant, Ed perked up and flashed him a grin before muttering, "You better get us pizza."

"It'll be our last move. Besides, we have a baby in the house now." Leo sighed. 

"A baby that is going to be _loud_..." 

"Speaking of, is she your girlfriend now?" Al, in all his innocence, asked with an oblivious look on his face. Really, it amazed him how cunning and manipulative he could be in one moment but absolutely adorable the next. He truly was a mix between Hohenheim and Trisha. 

Leo flushed red instantly, "No! I don't like her that way! I don't even like women!" He screeched the last part without thinking about what he was saying. Immediately, he slapped his hands on his face. 

Ed smiled devilishly, "Wow Al! We didn't just make a Homunculus! We made a Homunculus that has his own sexual orientation!" He laughed. 

Pinako rolled her eyes at the two laughing boys and the sputtering Homunculus. But everyone caught the smile on her face. It was nice to see the boys so comfortable. They hadn't laughed like this since their mother's accident. 

Maybe, just maybe, she had judged Leo wrongly. 

**__________________________________________**

"Wow, Roy, your boyfriend's already saving people!" Maes Hughes laughed once he had received the news. The whole thing was a huge scandal but trust Hughes to bring some light to the situation. He was ever the optimist. 

Roy rolled his eyes but he let himself smile just slightly. Maybe he had a tiny crush. Well, it wasn't all that tiny anymore. Hughes was right, the first day on the job and Leo had caught his first criminal. And seeing the conviction in his gaze as the madman had been dragged into the cart... He would make a good officer. 

Breda glanced at the two officers before turning back to Havoc and Fallman. They both caught the little coo-coo motion he made. It was understandable really. They had never seen this side of him before. Contrary to popular belief, Roy Mustang was not a womanizer. He had just been raised in a brothel. So what if he was flirty at times. They had seen him flirt with some female officers before but the woman had always started it. They had never seen him actually actively seek someone out. 

They hadn't even known he was _gay_. Or, as he later cleared up, bisexual. 

Riza was the only one who had taken notice. She had known before he did. It was why she was colder to him than she was to others. It was barely noticeable, a glare when he wasn’t looking, silently looking over him with judgemental eyes but it was there. Riza was always protective. Actually, Roy thought, maybe those boys, Ed and Al were Leo's Riza. Protective and blunt but also kind in their own way.

He shuddered when he remembered that incident back at Central. Those boys were cheeky assholes. Normally, he would feel bad using such language in reference to children. But the alternative was ‘devil incarnate.’

_"You have a crush on him," was the first thing the boy in the wheelchair - Ed? - said when they were a safe distance away from prying eyes._

_Roy sputtered. Which was rare. Normally, he was Mister Professional. But no, a small child had managed to render him speechless, if only because of how blunt he was. He was used to dealing with subtle double meanings. Looking between the lines, that sort of stuff. But no, this boy spoke his mind and Roy was sure he wouldn't last a day as a military man._

_The boy who was behind the wheelchair - Al? - smirked and Roy balked at how the small children had been cute and oblivious one second and now, they had cornered him! Him! A Colonel!_

_"And?" He raised an eyebrow._

_Al raised an eyebrow in response but Ed leaned forward in his chair and raised his fist, "If you hurt him we'll sneak into your house and replace all your shampoo with lighting fluid before lighting your hair on fire! You are the Flame Alchemist after all. By the way, that name's boring."_

_..._

_He was being given the shovel talk. By a twelve-year-old boy. A twelve-year-old boy and his eleven-year-old brother._

_Was this a fever dream? Had he finally gone insane? Maes would be laughing his ass off at him right now._

_"Normally, I would yell at Brother right now but I actually agree with him! But, really, we'd just yell at you, a lot. And transmute your house down but only if you hurt him really bad."_

_It amazed him how the boy had said it all with an innocent smile on his face._

Roy sighed. He had to remember not to get on those boys’ bad sides. 

"What're you thinking about?" Maes nudged him. 

"The devil children," Roy deadpanned. 

Maes let out a hearty laugh. "Think of it this way! If you marry him, technically those kids will be yours!" 

Roy tripped on nothing. 

"Careful!" Maes grabbed him by the back of his coat. 

Roy just gaped at him before finally getting his voice back. "They're brothers!" he said. 

"Yeah, but there's a hell of an age difference. So… technically they would be like your kids. Or would brother-in-law be better?" Maes smiled. 

"We are not talking about this!" 

And that was the moment Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, a man who had climbed the ranks of the military ever since the war of Ishval, gracefully crashed into a wall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is Truth so hard to write? Anyways, I'm sorry for the late update. There was recently a death in the family and I've been busy with that.
> 
> Actually, I may make a tumblr to keep you guys updated! Tell me if you’d like to see it. If so, then I’ll make one and post the link in the next chapter!

The first thing on Leo's list had been saving Nina for obvious reasons. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. Which was why he was currently laying in bed tossing and turning while trying to figure out why there was a growing pit of dread in his stomach. He had to start thinking about what he was going to do. It was so odd, not being able to talk to Al. It was odd sleeping in an empty bed. It made him feel...lonely. Sure, he knew there were tons of people in the rest of the house. But as the house fell silent with only the hum of the fan to listen to, it was as if everyone was thousands of miles away. Even when he and Winry broke up, they slept in the same room as each other. They said it was to save money and energy but they both knew they still wanted each other's company. It wasn't as if a failed relationship broke their friendship apart. In fact, it only made it stronger in certain ways.

But now, he was completely and utterly alone and that thought scared him more than anything. 

He took a deep breath to help himself calm down. So he was in the past, it wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't even the weirdest thing he had ever done. He had saved the whole country from being turned into a philosopher's stone. He had played strip poker with the King of Aurego...but that was a story for another time. What he really needed to focus on was what he was going to do next. What had he done last time? 

There was that priest in Liore that he needed to get rid of. But that would start those riots again and there was no way in hell he would let those people die again. Even if he didn't know them, they were still people and if there was anything he had learned in his life, he knew that human life was the most precious thing on earth. He paused for a moment...did he even have a life anymore? 

He glanced at the tattoo on his arm. He had avoided thinking about the Homunculi for a while now and now....he was one. Did he...did he have a stone? 

He put his hand to his chest and listened carefully for his heartbeat. It took a minute but he could hear the throbbing beneath his fingers. But that didn't dispel of his fears. He wished he could ask his questions. He just wanted answers. He wanted...the truth. 

Suddenly, a flash of bright light surrounded him and his arm started hurting like hell. It was like someone had made a huge gash on his left arm, but before he could look at it he realized that he wasn't in his room anymore. No, Leo was surrounded by achingly familiar white walls.

He looked up and was greeted by a smiling figure. Truth. 

As if this day couldn't get any worse. 

"How rude," They chuckled. 

Leo tensed, "So you can read minds now?" 

This time, they outright laughed, "Only yours, little Alchemist, only yours," 

They paused, "But...you're not so little anymore, aren't you?" 

Leo raised an eyebrow. 

Truth tilted their head, "You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" 

"Why you're here?" 

"Well, I didn't open a portal and from what it looks like, I didn't even pay a toll to get here." He sighed. Why did he always get into these messes? Back when he had first opened the portal he had made a promise to himself to never open one again. But now, he had broken that promise at least three times. What's one more?

"No no, not _here_. I meant here." 

"Yeah, cause that just clears everything up. Ever thought of being a teacher?" 

"This time, Homunculus, this time." 

Leo flinched, "Don't call me that," 

"What? A Homunculus? It's true is it not?" 

"You're the one that made me like this!" He yelled. 

That actually made Truth pause for a moment, "Yes...that is the truth." 

Leo stopped, "Did you just...agree with me?" 

Was this a fever dream? 

"I was simply telling the Truth." 

"...was that a pun?" This really was a fever dream.

Truth sighed, "You're here for a reason, Alchemist. Would you like to know what it is? "

He couldn't tell if this was a plot. He couldn't trust them, he knew that. But...answers were more tempting then he would ever let anyone know. Leo had always had a sort of lust for knowledge, a desire to know what was happening and why it was happening, and _how_? 

Truth smiled, "You wanted to know the Truth so here I am." 

Leo tilted his head, "Are you talking about when I was brooding?" 

"Ah, yes, your thoughts are rather depressing," Truth said offhandedly flicking a hand. 

"Now, Edward, I believe it's time we had a chat." 

"Leo," He corrected immediately. 

If he didn't know better, he would think Truth was raising an eyebrow at him. It would be easier to tell if Truth had actual bodyparts. Then again, he would probably inquire where Truth had gotten said body parts, knowing what had happened with his missing limbs. It still creeped him out when Al told him that Truth had been wearing his body parts. Like they were clothes to them. 

"Leo it is," 

"Tell me, Leo, do you know why you're here?" Truth asked again. 

Leo stayed silent. He knew Truth knew the answer. 

Truth grinned, "This is why I like you, you're intelligent."

"The real reason you're here, Leonardo Elric is because this timeline is falling apart." 

"Falling apart?" Truth had said 'this timeline' did that imply that there was more than one timeline? He really shouldn't be surprised. He had learned so many things since joining the military of this country, why should the space-time continuum be any different.

"There are multiple different timelines but that's not my jurisdiction. I am...what's known as a last resort. When the others fail they come to me, the first, the one who had been there since the beginning. This rarely happens but when it does, it's amazing for me. I get to pick which one of my perfect little humans will help me with my problem."

"I see..."

"This timeline will collapse if you don't complete the tasks you did last time. There are things you have to do differently, however." 

Leo's head jerked up, "Differently?" 

"Why of course! Did you think you would be able to just do exactly what you did last time? Oh no, little alchemist." 

"What do I have to do?" 

"I can't tell you," Truth's grin actually dimmed slightly at that.

"Of course you can't," He rubbed a hand over his face. 

"Understand how important your task is Edward Elric. Only once before have I asked a human to do this. And they failed. Would you like to know the consequences of their failure?" Truth asked. Really _asked_ and that was enough to stop Leo from answering. He had never even imagined Truth _asking_ for something, even an opinion. Especially an opinion. It went against everything Edward thought about their character. All his life Truth has just taken and _taken_. 

"Yes, I want to know," 

Truth grinned yet again, "The multiverse collapsed, Edward Elric. Everything in the world was gone and it took millennia for me and the other beings to rebuild it. And even then, things were lost to the fabrics of the past which we can never again bring back. That was the cost of his failure. Not only the lives of trillions, but the knowledge of the past," 

"Do you wish for Alchemy to be forgotten? For Alkahestry to fade into nothing? Not even remembered through childish fairytales and urban legends of new?" 

The simple thought of that made him shudder. When he had lost his Alchemy it felt like losing a limb, even when he had just gained on back. The thought of Alchemy being lost to everyone forever? The concept was just so far out of reach for him and yet, he knew how terrible it would be for something like that to happen. 

It made him wonder what they had lost before. What knowledge would be forever out of their reach? Knowledge that even Truth was unable to comprehend. That they weren't able to bring back. 

No, he wouldn't let that happen again. He wouldn't let all he had done go to waste. Yes, Alchemy could be evil at times. Bringing ruin and bloodshed where it went but at other times, it was able to give people hope and protect those they loved. Hope...

Hope was the most important thing of them all. Leo had hope. Hope that he would be able to prevent the deaths of so many. Hope that he would be able to right the wrongs in his past--

"Gah!" His hand shot up to his arm. It was burning again. This was really getting old. 

"That's it!" Truth laughed, "You've figured it out! You really were the right pick for the job!" 

Leo didn't have time to say anything. Hell, he didn't even have enough time to finish his thou--

_**P A I N** _

______________________________

Leo got up with a groan. He looked up, expecting to be back in his room, but he was greeted with the same bright light that made up Truth's domain. 

"Hmm, if we were in the human realm, you would have been out for 1 week."

Truth stood over him with that same knowing goddamn smile. 

Leo made to get up but stopped when he noticed how his head was pounding. This was more than just a migraine. It was like...like someone had taken his brain and put it in a blender but somehow, he was still alive. 

"Ah, yes, the pain. That was expected. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't die. Since you don't have a philosopher's stone I had to take your body apart and let yourself rebuild again and again to pay the toll for all the information I've just given you. After all, you are a human-based Homunculus, you use your life energy as payment and since you're a Homunculus you rebuild yourself. Like a paradox," 

Leo couldn't pay attention to most of what Truth was saying. 

"The pain will subside, eventually. Until then, goodbye, Leonardo Elric," 

Leo didn't even have the energy to ask Truth to wait. 

________________________________________

_"I have to do this," The cloaked man cried as he activated the circle._

_"I can't fail," He murmured under his breath again and again._

_"Please, I just want her back," He sobbed as the circle opened. The eye in the middle of the circle opened ominously and he knew that he should be scared but all he could think about was his child. He just wanted his daughter back. She was too young...and it was all his fault. If he died doing this then he deserved it. He deserved every single painful thing that would happen to him._

_Small black hands reached up and grabbed him. And he...he went with them willingly._

_Bright light._

_That was all he saw._

_Was he in heaven?_

_No, someone like him didn't deserve to be in heaven. Maybe this was hell and he would be tortured forever in this whiteness. Like the white room torture, he had read of in those books._

_"You are...different," A voice called from above him. He looked up and saw a white figure smiling down at him._

_"Are you god?" He breathed out in awe._

_The figure laughed, "Oh yes you would do wonders for this job!"_

_He wanted to ask his question again but if this truly was god, then what was the point. He was most likely here to be judged._

_"You came here, not for your own selfish desires. But for death! That's your reason! You know you can't bring her back! So you wish to die but know that you died while doing everything to bring back your daughter!" The being clapped its hands._

_"Now...stay still,"_

__**He screamed--** _ _

_____________________ 

"Leo!" Something hit his head. He shot up from his bed, panting heavily. 

He looked over to see, Ed, Al, and Granny standing by his bed all looking at him with various levels of concern. Ed wasn't even trying to hide his worry anymore. 

"What?" He asked weakly. Was that his voice? It sounded horrible. 

"You've been screaming for the past 5 minutes, son. We were gonna call the hospital." Granny answered. 

"What the hell was that?" Ed screamed at him.

"Are you alright?" Al asked, tears streaming down his face. 

Alright? No, he was the farthest thing from alright. He reached his hands out and pulled both Ed and Al into a hug. Although it was a bit weird with Ed still in his wheelchair and all. Al gladly snuggled in closer and even Ed seemed to relax just slightly into his touch. Granny looked at him, a soft smile spreading over her face at the scene. 

She reached onto the bedside and grabbed a cloth before sweeping it over his forehead. Leo let go of the boys and held the cloth close to him. Wow, he was covered in sweat. 

"That must've been one hell of a nightmare, boy," Granny said. But the underlying question was still there. 

Nightmare...

It didn't feel like a nightmare. More of a memory. But, he had never done that. His daughter wasn't dead. And he had never had that conversation with Truth--

 _"Only once before have I asked a human to do this."_

_"I had to take your body apart and let yourself rebuild again and again to pay the toll for all the information I've just given you."_

The information. Was the information...the memories of the man who had failed before him?

"Leo?" Al nudged him just slightly. 

Leo shook his head, "Sorry, Alphonse, I just got lost in my head. Where's Nina, Winry, and Ariana?" He changed the subject. 

Granny knew what he was doing, but she answered, "Your payment from the military came in today. They went shopping in the square. Winry wanted to come with them to tour the city." 

"Oh," He said absentmindedly, making his way over to the bathroom. 

"We're gonna move soon, right? To East City?" Ed asked again. 

"Yes. You should start on your automail exercises so you don't get too sick on the train ride," 

Ed stuck out his tongue, "Already did 'em," 

"He did them twice. If you don't let up, coughing up blood is the last thing you'll have to worry about," Granny shook her hand. 

Ed paled. 

"Coughing up blood?" Leo asked, worry shooting through him. The only things running through his mind were, 'protect, protect, protect,' again and again. Oh, yes, he had almost forgotten about his purpose. His Homunculus purpose that is. Maybe there was more information about that in his memories. Or...the other person's memories? Maybe he'd get a name soon. 

"Yes, the boy's been pushing himself too hard." Pinako looked over at him accusingly. 

"Ed..." Leo started. 

Ed actually looked away, but Leo could tell he wasn't going to stop, "I'll be out of this chair soon enough," Ed hissed under his breath. But everyone heard it. 

"Brother..." Al reprimanded. 

"Ugh, fine. I'll let up a bit." 

Leo smiled, "That's all we ask, Ed." 

Ed rolled his eyes, but Leo recognized the look on his face. It was fond. He had made the same gesture all those times before with Al and Winry. 

"Now, shoo, we have to let Leo get ready," Granny ushered them out. 

But, surprisingly, she stayed behind. 

"Leo," She started and the look on her face told him that this conversation was going to be serious. 

"You have automail." She pointed to his leg. 

Leo looked down and sighed. Of all the thing for her to realize, the automail wasn't really that bad. He was planning on telling her soon anyways, the automail hadn't been treated right at all and with all the pain he had been through in the last 24 hours it was really starting to wear on him. Even being a Homunculus with regenerative powers couldn't take back the toll he had paid. A burning reminder of his misdeeds forever. 

"Yes, I do." 

"I'm not going to question you. But I am going to treat it before you get infected. I don't know what hell you've been through in the last 24 hours but it's clear that automail is going to fry your nerves if it gets anymore damaged." 

"Thank you, Pinako," 

Granny smiled and left the room. 

Leo sighed. It seemed he was in for a big adventure. He got up and walked over to his wardrobe. He hadn't picked many things from the store when they had first gotten here. 

Which was why it was easy to see the big black cloak with an eye of truth right on the top of the hood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this unique idea for this story. I can't wait for you guys to figure out what's happening to Leo.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note before we start! 
> 
> https://nongerine.tumblr.com/
> 
> ^ That is the link to my tumblr. It’s called ‘Nongerine’ and I’ll post some occasional updates there if something unexpected happens.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

He couldn't lie; the cloak was pretty sick. It was light and easy to move in but concealed his identity pretty well as long as he had the hood up. People did tend to see the outfit before they saw the person, or people were just dumb, it could honestly be either. Still, what did Truth want him to do? Become a vigilante as he tried to stop the world from ending picking up stray Homunculi - *cough* _Greed_ *cough* - like some sort of mobile orphanage. 

Actually, now that he thought about it, that sounded like something Truth would probably laugh their metaphorical ass off at. Damnit, he hated otherworldly beings. 

Leo sighed, "Might as well deal with all this new knowledge," He clutched his head. It wasn't like all of the knowledge in his head was just there now. It was always an odd process, the transfer of knowledge. Like when he reads a book he wouldn't remember every single minuscule detail of that book, but he would remember the plot or the little segments that he decided were important. 

So, when you gave one person a set of knowledge they would always end up rejecting a certain part of it, and _how the fuck did he know this?_

"Oh...that's weird," 

It was like he just knew certain things. Sure, he was used to things like this before but that was when he was eleven. He forgot how weird it was to just know new things and have them pop into your head only realizing later on that _you shouldn't know that._

"I should probably write all this down somewhere," He mumbled absentmindedly, putting the cloak in a small bag under his bed. He had taken up the habit of storing random bags under his bed on certain days when his automail just hurt so bad that he couldn't even get out of bed, therefore needing to put certain things under his bed like an ointment or just random snacks. 

Why didn't he just ask Winry? Because he was a prideful bastard and he wouldn't stoop so low as to have to ask Winry to bring him an apple as he laid on the floor in a random obscure position. He shuddered at the memory of that wretched day, he still remembered Winry's demonic laugh as he wallowed on the floor. 

He put the bag back under his bed and made his way out of his room. 

"Ah, Leo, you're awake," Pinako smiled at him as he entered the kitchen. 

"Are you cooking?" He asked incredulously. 

"Hah! My cooking days are long gone, son. If you want a meal you can dice some carrots on your own," 

Granny had cooking days? His thoughts flashed to a burnt...something on the dinner table. Granny's excuse was that she forgot to put flour in whatever she was trying to make. Cookies or something?

"No, the real reason I'm here is this," She handed him a letter with the military stamp on it. 

His expression immediately turned dark, did Bradley hear about Tucker already? 

He opened the letter, ignoring the look he got from Granny. 

Oh, it was from Mustang and he was...praising him?

_Dear Leonardo Elric,_

_I apologize for the incident yesterday and my rather crude behavior at the crime scene. You have just started your career in the military and have already managed to put yourself in good standing with many high ranked officials. Word of your accomplishment has quickly spread through the office, I'm sure you've already seen the newspaper._

_What you did for that girl and her mother was a very brave thing to do, and for that, you have my respect._

_\- Colonel Roy Mustang_

Well, that was...

It made him feel weird. Like how he used to feel with Winry. But, he couldn't focus on that right now, everyone knew about what happened? And what was in the newspaper? He had a feeling he already knew. Fucking officers who didn't know how to keep their mouth shut. He really didn't want bad press right now, or good press, just no media. He hates the media. 

That made him sound old.

Fuck. 

"Leo! Look!" Al came rushing in waving a newspaper in the air.

He sighed. There would either be something horrible in the newspaper that would make him out to be a villain or there would be something that would make him out to be some sort of savior and everyone would fawn over him. 

Both sounded terrible. 

Sure, in his previous life this had happened before. Everyone had loved him and it had given him certain opportunities but it also painted a bigger target on his back. Bradley had eyes on him and Al all the time all because Leo had wanted some stupid validation. Curse his old self's pride. 

At least he wasn't trying to do that now. 

He took the newspaper from Al and cringed when he saw the headline, 

_**RED LIGHT ALCHEMIST SAVES WOMAN AND CHILD FROM AWFUL EXPERIMENT**_

He skimmed over certain parts of the paper. Most of them were just people praising him and saying he wasn't like all the other military dogs. Some made comments about him working under Mustang, Truth knows how they got _that_ little piece of information. It was just like last time. So much for keeping himself out of the public eye. 

_'Still...'_ He thought, mind going back to that hood. It was likely Truth had predicted this, the bastard (bitch?).

"Thanks for the paper, Al," 

"You're not gonna say anything about you being _famous_?" Ed pouted finally being able to shimmy himself into the kitchen. The prideful kid wasn't even trying to hide his jealousy. 

"Oh, I'm not famous, Ed. I'm sure this'll all just blow away soon enough." It wouldn't. They all knew that. The office would be full of higher-ups trying to get their hands on him. It had happened last time when he had been given the title, _'Hero of the people,'_ and it would happen again. The only difference would be this time they wouldn't underestimate him because of his age. 

But he would still stay with Mustang, if only because he was one of the few people Leo knew for certain he could trust. Other people's loyalty had to be earned but Mustang, no matter how much he tried to deny it, was loyal to a fault to his team. He preferred to choose who was assigned to him and when he got someone he didn't like he did his best to boot them off. He was just like that. 

And even though Leo would never say it out loud, it was something he admired about the bastard. Even respected if you pushed it. 

"It's not fair," Ed pouted. 

"Don't be a brat Edward!" Pinako barked.

Ed humphed but thankfully let the subject go while Al was looking up at him in admiration. He knew that look. It was the same look Al had always given him when they were younger; when Al had always aspired to be like him. Leo could even remember Al looking at him the same way as adults, no matter what he did Al would always look up to him. Now he had two role models, Ed and Leo. He wondered how this would change how Al would grow up. 

When someone from a different timeline entered another timeline the people they interacted with would be altered to some extent, it could be an easily noticeable change or something simple like them liking ketchup now instead of mustard and _oh my god how did he stop this?_

Now he knew how his interference in this timeline would affect the people around him. This was going to give him a migraine. 

"Are you okay?" Al saw him gripping his head. 

"Yeah, just need my morning coffee to deal with him," He pointed at Ed just to get him riled up. Said person stuck his tongue out, furrowing his eyebrows as he glared. 

"We should be able to move to East City soon."

Leo pointed out looking around the room. They hadn't really unpacked anything as they would need to move it to their new apartment in East City.

"And we'll be able to head back to Resembool," Pinako chimed in. 

"What about Miss Ariana?" Al asked. 

Oh, right. He had forgotten about that. 

"She told me she arranged something with her mother. She also told me to give you this. In case you need to contact her again," Pinako handed him a small piece of paper with a few numbers scratched onto it. 

"So she's gone?" Leo questioned. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her at all. 

"Yes, she left right before you woke up to get everything arranged. You know she'll have to give her testimony at Tucker's trial." 

Leo froze. He had completely forgotten about the prospect of a trial. Would it be corrupt? Would Bradley interfere with it? No, that was stupid. They had no use for Tucker, right? Father could make chimeras easily and Leo was sure he knew how to make talking ones. 

Still, he could never be too sure about Father's motives. He was already changing things in this timeline and he might do something. He might bail Tucker out just to mess with him. Father didn't know about Alkahestry so Leo was probably already on his watch list.

All that mattered right now was keeping the boys out of his hands. Speaking of the boys...

"How would you two like to go around Central before we leave?" Leo suggested. They hadn't really spent any time with each other and the whole Homunculus thing made him want to develop a bond with them. Not that he wouldn't have if he wasn't like this. 

It was just that his mindset was pushing _'spend time with the Elrics'_ to the same level of importance as _'save the whole world from being destroyed'_. That might be a problem later on. 

"Why?" Ed asked, looking genuinely confused. 

"Because I said so," Leo smirked. He finally got to use that line. 

Ed scowled while Leo chuckled. He remembered how much he hated that line whenever mom had used it. Or Pinako. And sometimes even Mustang. 

"We'd love to!" Al smiled, pulling at Edward's real arm. 

"It would help you get used to your automail. But I don't want you putting too much stress on it, young man!" Pinako shook her fist. 

"Fine" Ed rolled his eyes but it was clear he wasn't against it. Not that he had any reason to be. He was just rougher around the edges.

"Winry should be back soon. Ariana probably dropped her off at Mr. Hughes' house." 

"Hughes?" Leo jolted. Ariana knew him?

"Oh yes, Hughes was quite adamant in helping Ariana and Nina in any way possible. He's always wanted a child if I remember correctly," 

He definitely did. When would she be born? It shouldn't be too long from now. 

"That's nice of him," Edward said; a small smile on his face. Leo knew Ed liked Nina already. He always had a soft spot for children. 

Except for Mai. That brat was horrible.


End file.
